The look in her eyes
by Charming-Prue
Summary: Richard/Kahlan fic. Richard does his best to help Kahlan with all the tragedy in her life.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Legend of the Seeker fic and I haven't write fics in ages. So I apology for all the kinds of mistakes you're about to see while reading. This maybe be a one shoot or not, I don't know yet.

I do not own Legend of the Seeker otherwise, we would be watching season 3 and I wouldn't have written this fic to fill my LOTS withdrawl.

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Kahlan?" He asked softly. "Kahlan?"

She looked up at him and said: "Hum... Sorry, what?"

She was sitting next to the camp fire, looking at the flames, thinking. She wasn't sure for how long she's been lost in her thoughts, but he just called her back to earth.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked. He was standing in front of her, he noticed her long staring but didn't want to ask questions. It's been a long day of walking in the forest, and she was probably exhausted. She just sat there ever since they decided to make camp. Richard knew she had something on her mind, something big and probably heartbreaking, but he just didn't want to push her, forcing her to open to him.

"No, thank you. I'm good." She responded with a soft smile.

"Kahlan, your last meal was two days ago, you need to eat something." He said kneeling down next to her.

"Richard... I-" She tried to said but he stopped her by placing his hand on her cheek, his thumb softly caressing her face. It was breaking his heart to see her like this… she seemed empty.

"You are exhausted, you need to eat something." He said looking straight in her blue eyes, trying to find the spark usually illuminating her beautiful eyes. She closed her eyes and sigh, feeling the warmth of his hand on her face.

"Richard, I'm fine." She mumbled. If he didn't know her better, he would swear she was about to pass out.

He kissed her forehead and said: "Well, alright then. I'm going to find something to eat for myself, just stay here and rest."

She nodded and he stood up. He knew that now wasn't the time to argue with the Mother Confessor, but that didn't mean he was giving up yet. He looked at her before leaving to find something to eat.

He came back a few minutes later, he had luckily found all sorts of fruits. Strawberry, blackberry, raspberry and even some hazelnuts but he wasn't a really big fan of it.

Sitting down next to Kahlan he stated: "I got lucky, look at all these fruits, there's plenty enough for two. Well, not if Zedd was here."

She smiled weakly. If he wanted her to eat, forcing her to do so wouldn't be of any help, not with Kahlan. He had to be patient and smart. With everything she's been going through, rushing her wouldn't be helping.

He stood up, took the biggest green leaf he could find on the nearest tree, sat down again and proceed to place all the fruits on the leaf in front of him.

"I need to figure out which are my favorites" He stated. "Hazelnuts, you're out." He said, pushing the nuts at the other side of the leaf with one finger.

Kahlan was resting her left elbow on her lap, supporting her head with her hand, looking at Richard, motionless.

"If you were hungry, which ones would you eat first?" He asked.

She shrugged in return. 'This isn't going to be easy' He thought.

"Raspberry it is." He said, taking one in his mouth.

"Hmm, really good." He said, chewing. "You should try." He added eating another.

With no warning, he bend over her and kissed her, cupping her face with his hands, she finally responded to his kiss, deepening it, tasting raspberry.

He smiled to himself, although he would love to kiss her all night long, the aim here was to make her eat something. He reached for another raspberry with one hand, not breaking the contact with her.

He forced himself to stop kissing her and looked in her eyes. "So... do you like those kind raspberries?" He asked with a smile.

She smiled back at him and nodded, her first smile in days, not the weak smile or the sorry smile she was now used to give him, but THE Kahlan smile. The one he hoped she saved only for him.

He gave her the raspberry he had in his hand and gave her a peek on the lips. Everytime he was feeding her with a raspberry, he gave her a kiss, sometimes eating one himself.

Once they ran out of raspberry, he looked at her and smiled. He took a blackberry, looked at it and said: "I think I prefer blackberries than raspberries." And with that, he ate one.

"Hmm, yeah, it's quite better actually." He said, eating another and another after that.

This time, it was Kahlan who initiated the kiss to taste the blackberries.

He pulled away from her smiling and asked: "Do you want some?" She nodded and just like they did before, they ate all the blackberries they had, not forgetting the kisses.

He softly kissed her forehead, happy that she was finally eating and he had to admit it, happy that the eating went along with the kissing.

He finally took a strawberry and brought it in front of her mouth, she bit half of it and he ate the other half. Of course, their mouths joined into a kiss. Richard tenderly pushed Kahlan on her back, grabbed another fruit, eating half of it and giving her the rest. She was now laying down on the floor, with Richard on top of her. He continued to feed her, kissing her neck and jaw line when she was eating and returning to her mouth before giving her more strawberries.

Even though they quickly ran out of food, they kept kissing, their tongues either battling for control or caressing softly. They both knew they could lose control at any moment but they were managing to keep it strictly a kissing thing, until Kahlan rose her hips sending electrical waves of pleasure to Richard's body.

His hands started to roam all over her body from her tights to her neck, as Kahlan's hands made their way under his shirt, caressing his bare muscular chest.

As Kahlan's hands made their way lower, he summoned all his strength and broke their passionate kiss, making her stop her movements.

He kissed her forehead and looked in her eyes. "I think I like strawberries better." He said with a raspy voice, trying to catch his breath.

She smiled at him and said: "Me too."

Richard rolled on his back and pushed her closed to her, her head resting on his chest. He kissed the top of her head, humming the delicious smell of her hair.

After a moment, as Kahlan was tracing invisibles circles with her fingers on his chest, he stated: "You know, I could almost like hazelnuts with this feeding technique".

Kahlan smiled but got serious again and said: "This is a dangerous game Richard."

"I know, but I had to get you to eat." He responded.

Kahlan nodded and he added: "Now, tell me what's on your mind. I hate to see you so sad and distant. I miss your smile every second."

Kissing again the top of her head, he ran his fingers across her hair. He knew she needed food as much as she needed comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

So here we go, I voted for a chapter 2… may have chapter 3 now I know where all this is going to go! Thanks for the nice reviews I had, keep 'em coming, it's always a pleasure to read what you think.

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Richard stopped her running hand on his chest and said : "Kahlan, you can talk to me."

She nodded and said: "I guess I'm just scared about what could happen if we don't defeat the Keeper."

"As long as the Mother Confessor's pure heart beats..." Richard answered.

Kahlan rose to look into his eyes and asked: "But what if I die Richard? What if I fail you?"

The Seeker chuckled, upsetting Kahlan, she sat down and crossed her arms. "It's not funny." She mumbled. She got up and walked a few steps away, looking at the trees surrounding them.

Richard got up and walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her neck but she didn't move, she stood up straight, clearly irritated.

"You will never fail me Kahlan." He whispered, kissing her neck again. "You can take dozens of soldiers by yourself, you are the most powerful woman of the world, you are not going to die anytime soon. Not only because of your strength and your power but because I'll protect you at all costs. I'd give my life for you Kahlan."

'Will you?' She thought.

"Come on, let's get some sleep." Richard told her, nuzzling into her neck.

"I'm not tired." She stated, her jaw clenched.

Richard sighed, as he felt a mix of anger and fear building inside his stomach.

"Get some sleep, I'll take first shift." She said coldly. She addressed to him like she did to the people she had confessed and he didn't like it.

"I'm not one of your mate Kahlan, don't talk to me like this." He told her as coldly as she did before, regretting immediately what he just said.

Taken aback by his comment, anger rose in Kahlan's eyes and her vision became blurry, she blinked and a tear slowly rolled down her face.

Seeing her like this broke his heart and his eyes quickly filled up with tears. "Damn it Kahlan, what is wrong with you?"

"I'm just tired." She answered, looking away.

"Enough with all the lying." He yelled.

She stepped back and he continued: "I just told you to get some rest and you told me you weren't tired when I clearly see you are exhausted and now you claim that you are tired."

He tried to calm down, took a breath, ran his hand through his hair and added: "I don't understand." He shook his head. "I know you are scared to die, that we'll fail our quest to defeat the Keeper, but there is something else, something you are not telling me." He held out his hand to her and softly said: "Don't shut me out Kahlan, don't push me away, talk to me please."

She looked at his hand and then straight in his eyes, trying to maintain an emotionless face. "Goodnight Richard."

Richard let his hand fall down as Kahlan walk to the spot on the floor they were before. She grabbed a blanket in her pack, laid down on the floor and placed the blanket over her and rolled on one side, facing the fire.

Richard just stood where he was, trying to proceed what just happened. He didn't understand a thing. He didn't understand what was going on with the woman he loved and the worst part wasn't that he didn't understand, it was seeing Kahlan struggling without being able to help her. Seeing her like this was making him nauseous. He wasn't even mad at her, he was mad at himself for being so useless. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to make the mix of pain, sadness and anger go away by breathing slowly. When he opened his eyes again, he knew the only think he had to do. He turned and put more wood in the fire and then he laid next to Kahlan. He slid under her blanket and came closer to her, his chest pressing against her back. He slid an arm under her neck so she could rest her head and he wrapped the other around her waist. That's the only thing he could do, as long as she didn't open up to him, that was everything he could do to help her.

He could feel the tension in her body and even if he couldn't see her face, he knew her eyes were wide open. Letting go of her waist, he moved his hand up to her neck to brush away the hair keeping him from kiss her in this particular spot she loved so much. His goal here wasn't to try to seduce her, but just to get her to relax and sleep.

"Close your eyes Kahlan." He whispered in her ear, kissing her neck after that.

She did close her eyes. She didn't want to fight against him anymore, she couldn't. Talking so coldly to him was breaking her heart, but she was so angry and upset, she couldn't control her tone or her words. Feeling his hot breath in her neck and his strong arms around her was comforting her. The trail of kisses he was leaving on her neck made her lose all the consciousness she had for the world around them. As his hand made its way to rest on her belly, her mind drifted to the child they could never have. A girl. A girl with his smile, his eyes and his heart. A Confessor. A powerful Confessor, with Rahl and Amnell blood in her veins. As she started sobbing, Richard held her tighter. All she wanted to do was turn around and burry her face in his chest, but she didn't, she couldn't face him.

Richard tried to wiped the tears off her face but has his hand left her waist, Kahlan instantly grabbed his hand and entwined her fingers with his, forcing him to keep holding her. She was afraid he would be letting her go. Richard didn't resist and held her even tighter than before.

"I'm not letting you go. Not now, not ever." He whispered. "Not matter what's going on with you, what is torturing your mind, I promise that I'll stand by your side, every step of the way."

'Don't make promises you can't keep.' She thought.

"Now, you should sleep before I start humming a lullaby to you, and you know that's a terrible idea." He tried to joke to lighten the mood.

She nodded and finally relaxed in his arms.

"Ha, I see humming a lullaby is a powerful threat." He stated with a smile.

She couldn't see his face, but she was clearly imagining the handsome smile that was surely forming across his face and that caused her to smile a little. A smile he noticed and that melted his heart.

He kissed her one last time in the neck and whispered: "Goodnight my love."

As a response, Kahlan held onto his hand tighter and drifted into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry I couldn't update earlier, wouldn't let me. So here's the new chapter, hit the review button please!

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When Kahlan woke up the next morning, seeing the sun rising made her shiver. She just wished the world and the time could stop around her. She wished that she could stay with Richard in this forest, just the two of them. Richard would built a nice shelter, they had plenty of wood and food around for them to stay as long as they wanted. Richard moving against her back shook her out of her day dream. He kissed the back of her head and said: "Good morning my love."

Kahlan closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep, she wanted to stay in his strong embrace as long as she could, so maybe pretending to be sleeping would buy her some time.

Richard smiled but knew better. With time, he learned everything about her, how her heart beat after a battle, how it beat when they kiss, he even knew the way she was breathing when she was asleep or not. He couldn't be fooled. Still, he decided to go along with her, for sure he wouldn't mind having her in his arms a little longer. He kissed her head again and whispered: "I know you are not asleep."

He adjusted the blanket on them, held her tighter and said: "When you decided to open your eyes, no questions asked about last night. I promise."

When she opened her eyes again, Kahlan felt a little better. The sun was a little higher in the sky, suggesting she had slept for about an hour. Still in Richard's embrace, she knew he wasn't sleeping anymore because his thumb was gently stroking her arm. She turned around and buried her face in his chest, careful not to make any eye contact she wasn't ready for. To be truth, she didn't know if she could ever look him in the eyes again. Richard smiled and sighed, happy she was finally awake. He kissed her forehead and waited for her to do or say something. He thought that the best thing was to let Kahlan do what she wanted, when she wanted and to make her feel as comfortable as possible. Even if not knowing what was going on was killing him, raising anger and sadness in his heart, he was doing his best to stay calm and be patient with the woman he loved more than anything on earth.

Kahlan started to play with his necklace, she took a deep breath squeezing the fang and finally looked up at him.

"Richard?" She asked to get his attention.

He looked down at her and brushed a lock of hair out of her face and said: "Yes?"

"Could we... stay here today?" She asked hopefully.

"Stay here?" Richard repeated.

"Yes, I would like to stay here, with you, just for one day. I was thinking that maybe we could travel again tomorrow." She explained.

Richard was surprised but thought it was a good idea. Well, as long as he was with Kahlan, everything sounded like a good idea.

"I guess we could do that." He replied.

She smiled and said: "Thank you."

She let a finger run from his throat to his chest and started: "About last night..."

Richard silenced her by placing a finger on her lips that he immediately replaced by his lips. After giving her a soft kiss and looked at her in the eyes and said: "No questions asked, remember?"

She nodded silently and he added: "Let's spend the day together and relax, we've been traveling for days now. And I have to admit that I'm getting used to have you just for myself, without Zedd or Cara being around."

"I'm getting used to have you just for myself as well." Kahlan commented.

"They are both really useful when it comes to protection and fighting, but when they are around, I can't do that..." He said before kissing her on the forehead. "Or that..." And he kissed her on the lips. "Or that..." And he started to tickle her.

"Richard stop." She said between laughter. As he didn't, she tried to add: "Please Richard, stop..." And she bursted in laughter again.

When he finally stopped tickling her, he looked at her passionately and said: "You are beautiful Kahlan Amnell. I love to see you smile."

"As much as I would like to believe you, sleeping in the woods and having leafs in my hair doesn't make me feel beautiful." She said, still smiling.

"Well, maybe today we can change that, there is a river not far away, you could wash and relax while I find something to eat for breakfast." He said.

"It's a good idea." She said getting up. She was dying to take off all the dirt she felt like having on herself. "I won't be long." She added grabbing her pack where she had everything she needed to wash.

"Take your time." Richard said, getting up as well.

Kahlan was about to start walking towards the river when she turned back and kiss Richard on the lips. "You are amazing." She told him, gave him a smile and walked towards the river.

A little while later, as Richard reached the river, his grin turned into a disappointed look. He was too late, Kahlan was already lacing her white confessor dress. Her wet hair in a ponytail, she smiled when she saw him, she looked radiant.

"Found some apples and I placed some traps to hopefully get a rabbit for lunch." He explained, walking in her direction.

She didn't get the chance to comment as he stopped her hands which were lacing her dress. He almost looked angry, clearly bothered.

"Richard, is something wrong?" She asked innocently.

He placed both hands at each side of her neck and let them travel slowly down her chest to finally reach the laces of her dress, finishing to lace it. It sent shivers through Kahlan's body and made her bit her lower lip. Once he was done lacing her dress, he looked at her and she saw passion and lust in his eyes.

"I wish I could have taken this bath with you." He said in a whisper as his hands traveled back up to her neck. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately. As Kahlan responded to his kiss, he closed the gap between their bodies. Not breaking the kiss, Kahlan turned both of them around so the river was now behind Richard. She let her hands run through his hair and let his tongue dance with hers. She wished they wouldn't have to stop, she wished he could unlace her dress and make love to her. Unconsciously, her hands went down to his waist and she pulled off his shirt, giving her full access to his chest and abs. He moaned when the shirt make them break their kiss. As soon as the shirt hit the floor, his lips was back on hers, deepening their kiss without warning. When Kahlan felt his growing bulge against her, she knew they had to stop, they were about to lose control and it couldn't happen. She would confess him and his soul will be lost and she wouldn't let it happen.

She broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. They were both breathing heavily.

"Richard..." She started.

"I want you so much." He replied closing his eyes.

"I know." She said, pressing her hand right hand on his cheek. She gave him a peek on the lips and added: "I want you too."

"Maybe one day." He said with sadness in his eyes.

She nodded and kissed him again. They both smiled when they realized both of them were trying to regain their breath, both with red cheeks.

"Letting go of me would be easier to... huh... you know... cool down." Kahlan said with a grin, still feeling the bulge in his pants.

Richard blushed and reluctantly let go of her, taking a step back. As she made a step forward, he looked at her confused.

"And since you wanted to take that bath..." She said and with that she pushed him and he fell in the river which was deep enough to immerge all his body. "...it's going to help you to cool down honey." She added with a victorious smile on her face.

Richard was so surprised that he was speechless, the only thing he could do was to splash her.

"I'll see you back at the camp, my love." Kahlan told him with a smile, and with that, she turned and walked towards their camp. Richard sighed and shook his head, how he loved that woman. She was driving him crazy. He smiled and immerged all his body in the water.

When Richard came back to the campfire, Kahlan was sitting on a log, eating an apple, she couldn't help but smiled at Richard's sight. Sword of Truth in one hand, shirt in the other, his pants, body and hair wet, he was looking so damn sexy. Watching water dripping on his chest and abs, she bit her lower lip.

"You are really enjoying what you did to me, aren't you?" He asked, with fake exasperation, putting his sword on the floor.

"I am." Kahlan nodded, smiling even more. She took an apple and threw it at him. "You should eat and put your shirt on before you catch a cold." She added.

Richard caught the apple in the air and shook his head with a smile. The weather was warm, he had no intention of putting his shirt back on, seeing how Kahlan looked at him when he was shirtless, he decided to tease her a little.

He looked at her in the eyes and threw his shirt on the log next to her. She rose an eyebrow and he bite in the apple before sitting on the ground on the blanket, his back resting against a tree. Kahlan bit her lower lip again and she grabbed his shirt and threw it at him. "Put your shirt back on Seeker." She instructed with a smile.

Richard took his shirt and held it in the air and made it fall next to him. "Nope, I'd rather see you blushing everytime you look at me." He stated.

She slightly laughed, enjoying this game as much as he did. "Oh, watch me." She said as she turned his back to him, taking another bite of her apple.

"And do you plan on not looking at me until the rest of your life?" He asked playfully.

"Only until you put your shirt back on." She replied.

"Ain't gonna happen any time soon." He said.

They both ate in silence, both waiting for the other to say or do something. After a short moment Kahlan heard the Sword of Truth being taken out of its sheath and it meant only one thing, trouble, battle and blood.

Without waiting, or thinking, she took her weapons, got up and turned around to face her opponents. She stopped abruptly her weapons in mid air when she saw Richard facing her, inches away, sword his hand.

"Gotcha." He said triumphantly.

"Damn it Richard, you scared..." She started but was immediately stopped by Richard lips over her mouth. All weapons fell to the floor and both of theirs hands started roaming on their bodies. In the end, Kahlan was glad he hadn't put his shirt on, she loved to feel his hot body under her fingers. As their tongues connected, Kahlan felt that she was slowly losing control over her power. The more they were kissing, the harder it was for her to stay in control of her emotions and therefore, her power. Everytime they were kissing, she wanted more, she needed more. This need was too dangerous for him, she could confess him if they were keeping this up. But how was she supposed to have the strength to pull away? It had been a torture to pull away from him when they were at the river. She tried to regain control of her emotions, but her body unconsciously clinched against his, holding him tighter, moaning at the contact of their bodies.

She felt his lips pulling away from hers, causing her to groan in frustration. Richard held her until she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Who needs a cold bath now?" He asked with mischievous smile across his face.

She shook her head and muttered: "I wish Cara and Zedd were here."

"Zedd and Cara? Really? I thought you were enjoying being alone with me" He asked surprised.

"Well, you wouldn't be such a tease if they were here." She explained.

"You started this war Kahlan Amnell." He told her.

"And this war must come to an end, Richard Cypher, you almost got confessed a minute ago." She replied.

"But I didn't." He told her, kissing her forehead.

"We can't afford to play with fire Richard. As much as I want to be with you, it's not wise to let your hands roam all over my body." She stated sternly.

Richard couldn't suppress a laugh. "My hands?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her. "I certainly remember your hands roaming too, Mother Confessor."

Kahlan shook her head and said: "Fine, just no more roaming from now on."

Later that day, after lunch, they decided to lay down for a while, careful to avoid any contact between them. Looking at the blue sky, they both were lost in their thoughts.

"I have to go to Aydindrill." She blurted, still looking at the sky.

Richard didn't move or talk, he knew this sudden sentence was what was troubling Kahlan for so long.

"I have to. It's my duty, as the Mother Confessor." She added.

"Fine, we'll go to Aydindrill then." Richard shrugged, still looking at the sky.

"You can't come with me Richard, I have to do this alone, and you have to find the Stone of Tears." She told him.


	4. Chapter 4

Here's a new chapter, it seems longer. Hope you'll enjoy it! Please review!

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"What do you mean I can't come with you?" Richard asked as he propped himself on one elbow.

"It's my duty, as the Mother Confessor." She replied, emotionless, her eyes still looking at the sky.

"You've already said that Kahlan." He told her sternly. "I'm coming with you to Aydindrill." He added.

"Richard, you can't. You are the Seeker and you have to find the Stone and defeat the Keeper." She explained. "I'm going to Aydindrill alone."

"You could at least look at me in the eyes while explaining that you are leaving me." He told bitterly.

Finally, Kahlan looked at him. "I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Well, being sorry isn't going to make me change my mind." He told her.

"Richard, my duty..." She started but Richard stopped her by saying: "Enough with the duty Kahlan, I thought your duty as the Seeker's Confessor was to stay by my side."

Kahlan sighed and said: "Things have changed, I am the Mother Confessor now and you have Cara by your side to protect you."

"You can go on saving the world, while I..." She added but stopped.

"While you what?" He asked.

"I... I... restore order back in theMidlands." She said.

"Is this why you wanted to stop traveling for one day, so we could spend one last day together before we have to say goodbye?" He asked.

Kahlan looked down and softly nodded.

"I don't understand Kahlan. Why now? Why can't you wait until we defeat the Keeper? Why does it have to be now?" His voice was trembling, all of this made no sense to him.

"Richard, when you became the Seeker, you left your home, your friends and your family behind, because you had a destiny to fulfill. You had to, so you could help people and kill Darken Rahl. But now, I am the one who has to make that decision." She calmly explained.

Richard sat up, and so did Kahlan.

"I'll be safe in Aydindrill, you don't have to worry." She said, placing her hand on his upper arm.

Richard didn't react, he was just starring at the grass, trying to take in everything Kahlan was saying, trying to understand her decision. How could she leave him now, after everything they've been through? How could she give up on their love for each other?

"It's for the best." He heard her say as he was lost in his thoughts.

"For the best?" He asked her, turning to look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Kahlan said as she looked down.

"Kahlan, look at me, stop hiding behind your confessor face and talk to me. Tell me what decided you to make such a choice." He told her. "I can accept your decision, but you have to explain everything to me. I know your duty as the Mother Confessor is important to you, but what I don't understand is why you have to go back to Aydindrill now. You've been with me for months now and suddenly, you have to stop being my confessor for being the Mother Confessor." He explained.

"The last Mother Confessor appeared to me in a dream, saying I was the last of our kind, that I had to go back to Aydindrill and take upon her work." She explained, tears filling her eyes.

"It was just a dream Kahlan, it doesn't mean you to go now." Richard complained.

"Four nights ago, I couldn't sleep so I took a walk in the forest. I met a Night Wisp. She told me the exact same thing Richard." She added.

"Why didn't you tell me back then?" He asked.

"Do you think this is easy for me? Being torn like this between the man I love and my duty as the Mother Confessor?" She asked back, her tears couldn't be contained anymore.

Richard sighed, he hated to see her like that, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her against him, he kissed her head.

"What are we gonna do?" He asked.

"There is nothing we can do Richard, I have to leave and you have to find the Stone of Tears." She explained, pulling away from him.

"We should go back to the camp." She stated, getting on her feet. She started walking back to the camp without waiting for Richard. The walk back was quiet, Kahlan walking far away from Richard. He didn't say a word, still shocked by what he just heard. Deep inside of him, he knew something was wrong. He felt like he couldn't defeat the Keeper if Kahlan wasn't by his side, he wouldn't have the strength. But deep down in his heart, he knew she was right, he knew she has a duty, just like him, theMidlandsneeded her. He wasn't ready to let her go, but he had to, and once the Keeper wouldn't be a danger to them anymore, he'll go to Aydindrill and spend the rest of his life with her.

When Kahlan finally reached the camp, she sat on her bedroll and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders. Even if the sun was going down in the sky, it wasn't particularly cold, but she thought that the warmth of her favorite blanket would comfort her a little. She hated herself right now, she hated what she was doing to Richard, the pain his eyes, the pain in her heart, it was too hard for her to handle. She felt herself unable to hold her confessor face longer, as tears fell down her face. She hated the idea of leaving Richard in his quest, she hated to be the Mother Confessor.

"Kahlan?" Richard whispered as he knelt next to her. "Kahlan." He softly repeated.

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear him the first time.

Drying her wet face with his thumb, Richard gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"I know it's hard, but it's going to be okay Kahlan." He whispered, this time kissing her softly on the lips.

"Don't." She said, stopping him, still not looking into his eyes.

"Stay away from me, please." She added, pushing him away with her hand on his chest.

"Not a chance, if this is our last night together, I'm planning on holding you and kissing you Kahlan Amnell." He told her with a smile.

"Richard, please. Don't make it harder than it already is." She said.

"Fine." He said as he got to his feet. "You'll stay here, and I'll sit there, at the other side of the fire, not looking or not talking to each other while we spend our last hours together… if that's what you want." He added before sitting on a log away from her.

After some minutes of a long and heavy silence, Richard got on his feet.

"Kahlan, somebody's coming." He said sternly. Kahlan got up as well and both took their weapons as Richard moved closer to her. They waited for their opponent for a few seconds when three armed men came running straight to them. Richard didn't wait for them to come closer to Kahlan and met them to fight. Fighting with two of them, Richard quickly looked to see Kahlan dealing with the last man, she was having the best of him and he'd soon be dead or confessed. He suddenly felt pain in his chest, looking down he saw blood on his shirt, realizing a sword hurt him, he clenched his jaws and killed the two men fighting against him. When he turned to Kahlan, it was to see her killing the third man.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

She was looking at the man at her feet and simply nodded.

"Stay here, I'll put those bodies away." Richard said.

Once he came back, after disposing of the three bodies, it was already dark. Kahlan was warming herself next to the fire she had started. Looking up at him, she noticed his bloody shirt.

"You're hurt!" She said getting up.

"I'm okay, it's just a little scratch." He replied with a smile.

She walked up to him to see by herself.

"You call it a scratch? I call it a serious injury." She told him.

"It doesn't even hurt Kahlan, it'll heal up." He said, still smiling.

"This 'scratch' starts on your chest and finishes on the side of your ribs, it's bigger than one of my knives. Take your shirt off and lay down so I can clean your wound." She ordered him. She turned to get her bag pack with everything she needed to clean the wound. When she walked back next to Richard, he was laying on his bedroll, shirtless with both of his hands behind his head, still smiling.

Feeling his intense gaze on her, Kahlan smiled as she was cleaning up Richard's wound. He reached to her face to brush a lock of hair away from her face.

"Thank you." She told him.

"You're welcome." He replied.

She looked up at him to find him still smiling. "Enough with that silly grin Richard!" She ordered him. "Your wound his quite deep and it probably hurts a lot." She added.

"Maybe, but it also makes you talk to me, look at me and stay close to me." He truthfully replied.

"Did you get hurt on purposed?" She asked him, in shock.

Richard couldn't help but laughed at the expression on her face, causing the pain of his wound to spread all over his body making him wince more that he wanted.

"No, of course not." He replied, trying to hide the pain as much as he could. "I got distracted by a beautiful woman fighting by my side." He added, looking straight into her eyes.

"That's not really clever." She replied.

"I just wanted to make sure she was okay… I love her so much I couldn't stand her to get hurt." He said, looking down at her hands still working on his wound.

"I'm pretty sure she's mad at you for getting yourself in danger just to make sure she was okay when she knows very well how to handle a fight against only one man, especially if he's not a D'Haran." She replied.

"She's very stubborn always thinking that one day I'll stop worrying about her." He said.

"Stubborn, huh?" Kahlan said raising an eyebrow with a smile.

Richard sat up and he looked deeply in her eyes and said: "Stubborn, beautiful, strong, powerful, charming..." With each word, his face was coming closed to hers.

"And sexy..." He added before kissing her on the lips, letting his hands rest on her tights.

"Yes, she's really really sexy." He said, his hand now traveling up and down her tights.

"She's also the Mother Confessor who could destroy your soul." She said sternly, using a hand to stop him.

Richard sighed deeply.

"Now lay back please, I have to finish cleaning your wound." She ordered.

Richard did as he was told, still starring at her as she worked on his chest in silence.

"We should try." He stated after a while.

Has he did get her to react he continued: "We should try to... hum... you know... try, together."

He didn't know if this was more a question or a statement.

"I think you're being delusional because you've lost a lot of blood." She coldly replied, well knowing what he was talking about.

"Think about it, I'm the one to get you out of the Con Dar, you never hurt me with your powers, maybe you can't hurt me." He explained.

Kahlan closed her eyes and said: "Richard, stop... please."

"Why? Don't you want this as much as I do?" He asked.

"I do... spirits, I do." She whispered.

As he was about to talk, she silenced him by placing a finger on his lips.

"I blame myself and my power everyday for not being able to give us what we want. It's a burden I carry every single minutes of every single day. I used to feel guilty for being who I was because of the way people looked at me, feared me. Now I feel guilty for loving a man and not being able to give him what he needs, what he wants, what he deserves. And that guilt is killing me. Everyday." She explained.

"I love you so much and I want you so much Richard, but I can't love you in 'that' way, as much as I would like to, I can't risk it. I won't." She added.

Her words hit Richard harder than the sword did during the battle. Now he was the one feeling guilty, for teasing her, pressuring her.

"Kahlan, come here." He said and he sat up, wincing again in pain. One of his hands reached of her and he stroke gently her cheek with his thumb. He tried to control his breathing, shorten by the pain of his wound.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like a drunken jerk trying to get you to do things you don't want to." He said, tears filling both of their eyes. "I didn't know that you felt so much guilty. I... I don't need this from you Kahlan. I'm not going to lie to you, I want you, I want to make love to you but I don't need it. Everything I need is to have you to next to me, to see you smile, to love me back. I can live without being able to make love to you, but I can't live without you loving me back." He added.

He kissed her softly on the lips and said: "I don't need you to love me in 'that' way, I just need you to love me."

Kahlan noticed Richard breathing faster and faster, certainly due to the pain his wound was causing him in that position.

"You need to rest Richard." She told him sweetly.

"Not before you tell me that you are going to stop feeling guilty." He said.

"I'll try." She replied.

"Try is good." He told her as she pushed him back to rest.

He closed his eyes and tried to gain control of his breathing. Kahlan put everything she used to clean Richard's wound and as she was about to get up, he grabbed her hand and said : "Lay with me."

"Alright." She replied. He was surprised she didn't argue with his request but she knew how tired and hurt he was and if she wanted him to rest, the best way was to rest with him. She settled down next to him, lying on her side, she rested her head on his chest, her ear listening to his heart beat. She rested a hand on his chest and heard him whisper: "Closer."

She looked up at him, kissed him on the lips and said: "You sure know how to use your condition to get what you want."

He smiled and said: "You wouldn't want me to catch a cold, lying like this shirtless on the ground."

She shook her head and adjusted her body over his, half straddling him, half on her side. She buried her face in the crock of his neck, with her hand back on his chest, she could feel his heart beat.

"Better." He whispered, bringing his hand on hers while the other was caressing her hair.

"I love you." He whispered, sleep getting the best of him.

"I love you too Richard. Don't fight sleep." She replied.

"Promise me you'll be here when I wake up." He said.

"I will my love." She told him.

With that, Richard fell asleep, even if he wasn't in the best shape, he had the woman he loved in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5

Here's another chapter… I hope not to bore anyone with this story. Please hit the review button, it's always good to know where to stand, more Kahlan and Richard, less Kahlan and Richard? Anyway, let me know what you think! Thank you.

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Richard woke up a little before the sunrise. He found himself lying on the cold ground, a throbbing pain coming from his ribs remembered him of his previous injurie. He blinked several times and saw Kahlan's green blanket covering him. Resting on his chest, on top of the blanket, was Kahlan's hand, holding one of her daggers. She must have woken up in the middle of the night and put the blanket on him. He smiled at that kind attention and tightened his hold on her. She was still lying next to him, her face in the crock of his neck.

He kissed the top of her head and whispered her name. She moaned and adjusted her position next to him.

"It's cold, get under the blanket." He told her softly.

She mumbled something he couldn't understand, making him chuckle.

"You can let that dagger go." He added, before pulling the cover over her.

"Love you." She mumbled in reply. He wasn't even sure she was awake but answered: "I love you too, go back to sleep my love."

When morning came, Richard woke up to find himself alone on the ground. Panic took the best of him has he realized that Kahlan wasn't next to him. He sat up with a start and found her in front of him, next to the fire.

"Easy Richard." She told him calmly.

"I thought... I... You..." He started.

"I'm right here." She said, well knowing what he was thinking about. "Do you want some tea?" She added.

"No, thank you." He replied.

"Actually, it wasn't a question, here drink this." She told him, handing him the cup of hot tea.

"Is it an order from the Mother Confessor?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It is." She said proudly.

"And will Kahlan Amnell kiss me good morning first?" He asked.

Kahlan gave him a peck on the cheek and said: "Drink." Richard sighed deeply and relutanctly drank his tea.

Once he was done, he gave back the cup to Kahlan and said: "Happy?"

"Very much. Now let me see your wound." She replied.

Examining the wound Kahlan stated: "We need to meet up with Zedd. He'll take care of your wound."

"You are taking really good care of it." Richard replied.

"I'll travel with you until we meet with Cara and Zedd and then I'll go to Aydindrill." She stated, adverting Richard's eyes.

"We are supposed to meet in the city ofTractan. Zedd knows the owner of a small tavern there." Richard said.

"If we leave now, we can be there by sunset. Can you walk all day?" Kahlan asked.

"I think so." Richard told her.

"Let's pack and go then." Kahlan said, grabbing her bagpack and getting up.

Richard was in pain. He didn't know what hurt the most. His clearly bad looking wound or the distance Kahlan was establishing between them. She had opened up to him the night before, telling him how much she was blaming herself for being the reason they couldn't be together and he understood what she was feeling, how hard this was on her. He just wanted them to be close before they had to be around Zedd and Cara, he just wanted to enjoy being almost like a normal couple for the few hours they would spend together.

"Could you help me to get up?" He asked her. Truth was that he was probably able to get up by himself, but he needed an excuse to get her close to him.

She rushed by his side and helped him, feeling his bare skin under her hands made her shiver.

"Thank you." He told her, his left arm around her waist.

She nodded silently, she was looking so sad, it broke Richard's heart. He pulled her closer to him and she rested her head on his shoulder. She was blaming herself for giving up so easily, for not being able to pull away from him.

"Do you want me to let you go?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied softly, finally finding the strength to pull away from him.

It was certainly not the answer Richard was waiting for. A knot formed in his throat as he replayed his question and her answer in his head. Was it a goodbye? Did she mean let her go to Aydindrill? Let her go of his life?

"Kahlan." He called her. He saw the tears in her eyes as she turned to face him.

She looked at him, at the verge of tears and he said: "I am accepting the fact that you have to go back to Aydindrill and that I have to find the Stone of Tears. I am accepting that we are going to be separated. You asked me to accept this and I'm doing my best to do so. But please, just accept the fact that I love you and I always will. Accept my embrace, my kisses, accept not to be the Mother Confessor around me, just accept to be Kahlan Amnell, the woman I love, the one I'll marry one day, the one who will be the mother of my children."

He took her hands in his and said: "Come here." He pulled her close and cupped her face with his hands, wiping away the tears with his thumbs.

"Shhh, don't cry." He told her. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his.

"Ouch." He exclaimed as her body meet up with his wound.

"Richard, I'm so sorry." She exclaimed.

"It's okay, I'm okay. Don't worry." He told her, trying to smile.

She relaxed in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Until we reach Zedd and Cara, we're going to kiss, hold hands and smile. I'm going to love you with all my heart and show it to you." He stated.

Kahlan nodded and he added: "Now that we agree, we can pack and start to walk."

"Not yet." She replied, tightening her hold on him.

Richard ran a hand through her hair while the other was caressing her back.

"I love you with every fiber of my being but sometimes, this love is too much for me to handle." She softly said, bringing a hand to caress his neck.

"Leaving you is too hard to handle." She added as tears formed in her eyes.

Richard didn't answer. What could he say? Ask her to go against who she was, against her duty as the Mother Confessor? He felt powerless against her decision even if he understood what it meant to her. Imagining himself in her position, having to choose between her and his duty as the Seeker, he couldn't decide what he would do. His first thought would be to choose Kahlan. But could he let innocent people die? Could he let the Keeper win and destroy everything? He couldn't resolve himself to let his enemy triumph.

He kissed the top of her head and held her closer. He smiled when he felt her hands caressing his waist and his back. Spirits how he loved this feeling.

"We should get going." She said, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Yes, we should." He added, kissing the top of her head once again.

"Maybe you could let me go then." She said but her body pressed against his even more.

"Maybe you are the one to have to let me go." He replied.

She sighed deeply and he said: "This day is not over Kahlan, until we reach the tavern and meet Zedd and Cara, I'm going to hold you and kiss you many more times."

She nodded against his chest and said: "And Zedd must heal your wound."

"Come on my love, let's go." He told her as they pulled apart.

Kahlan reach for Richard's shirt and helped him to put it on, he could barely move the arm on the side of his injury. Once his head appeared out of his shirt, Kahlan smiled and ran a hand trough his messy hair.

"Thank you." He told her as he bent down to kiss her, his tongue instantly finding hers. When Richard reluctantly stopped their kiss to breathe, he opened his eyes to look at Kahlan, her eyes still closed as if she never wanted this moment to end. He kissed her forehead, bringing her back to reality.

"Let's go." He whispered in her ear before giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

He heard her sighed and they finished packing up and started to walk towards Tractan.


	6. Chapter 6

Another chapter, I have so free time to write, so here we go. I don't even know if people read this, but I enjoy writting it!

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When Richard and Kahlan finally reached the tavern in Tractan, Kahlan looked at the window trying to find her friends, Zedd and Cara inside. When she finally spotted them, she saw Cara was absently watching Zedd eat. She turned to face Richard and said: "They're here."

The Seeker was looking pale, Kahlan didn't remember seeing him like this since she met him. Sweat was covering his face and one of his hand was covering his wound. After walking in the woods all day long, he couldn't hide his tiredness anymore. During the last hour of their trip, Kahlan had to help him to walk, her arm around his waist and his around her shoulder for support.

As Kahlan stretched her hand to open the front door of the tavern, Richard stopped her and whispered: "Wait."

He pinned her against the wall and pressed his body against hers. She felt like he could pass out at any minute and tried to object to his action but before she could say something, he kissed her passionately. It was a long, slow and loving kiss. She couldn't help and let a soft moan escape her lips when he slid a hand in her back to press her body against his even more.

She gave herself a moment to enjoy his kiss, knowing that a moment like this one wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

She finally broke the kiss, softly pushing him away with a hand on his chest. "Richard." She whispered.

He rested his forehead against hers and whispered: "I know." His breath was heavy, he was clearly struggling with the pain of his wound to be able to fill his lungs with air.

He kept his eyes closed as he whispered: "Thank you."

She ran a hand in his hair, wishing she could take his pain away.

"Thank you for helping me today. Thank you for letting me love you and thank you for loving me in return. I love you Kahlan Amnell." He added.

She felt his body tense with pain against her. She kissed his forehead and told him: "I love you too, with everything I am."

Suddenly Richard collapsed against her, the last of his strengths leaving him.

"Come on, let's get you to Zedd." Kahlan instructed as she pushed the door of the entrance of the tavern, helping Richard to get inside.

Once they reached Zedd and Cara, they immediately got up.

"Spirits, Richard! What happened?" Exclaimed the Wizard.

"He got hurt by a sword in a fight." Kahlan explained quickly.

"Hurry, let's get him upstairs, we have two rooms for the night." Zedd said.

Cara got by Richard side, helping Kahlan to carry him.

"Happy to see you again Mother Confessor, are you alright?" She asked Kahlan without a smile.

"Yes, I am alright Cara. Thank you. It's good to see you too." She replied.

They quickly got up the stairs and when they reached the room followed by Zedd, they slowly laid Richard on the bed.

"Out!" Zedd ordered. Kahlan was about to object but he said: "Both of you, out. Let me work on his wound. I will not be able to concentrate with you worrying behind my back."

Giving one last look at Richard, she reluctantly left the room along with Cara, knowing that Richard was safe with Zedd and that he would get better soon.

When they reached the other room, Cara lied on the bed, her back against the headboard and watched Kahlan pacing in the room.

"Richard is going to be okay Kahlan." She finally said, the pacing was getting on her nerves.

"I know." Kahlan replied but didn't know stop walking.

"You look tired, you should get some rest. I'll wake you as soon as Zedd has finished with Richard." Cara said.

"Huh-huh." Was all Kahlan replied.

The Mord-Sith sighed and crossed her arms, shaking her head. "I know I should have stayed with him to protect him." She stated.

Kahlan stopped her pacing and looked straight in her eyes.

"Ha finally, are you willing to listen to me, Mother Confessor?" She asked.

"What Cara?" She harshly said.

"You should rest and get something to eat." Cara tried again.

"I'm not tired, nor hungry." She replied and walked to the window, it was already getting dark.

"So much for trying to be nice." Cara muttered.

Kahlan sighed and sat on the bed and closed her eyes for a while.

"Spill it Kahlan." Cara exclaimed suddenly, causing Kahlan to open her eyes.

"Something is wrong, your eratic behavior is telling me that there is something going on. You shouldn't be so worried knowing that Richard is with Zedd, yet you are acting like he's going to slip away at any minute." Cara added, getting up from the bed and sitting next to Kahlan.

"I'm just wondering if he is alright, that's all." Kahlan replied, looking down at her hands.

"Fine, don't talk to me. I don't like to talk anyway." Cara said, taking back her place on the bed, her back against the headboard and her arms crossed.

After a long silence, Kahlan finally said: "Today was our last day together. I'm going back to Aydindrill."

"You're... what?" Asked Cara, taken aback by what she just heard.

"Aydindrill." Was all Kahlan could say in a whisper as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Richard isn't going to allow that." Cara replied.

"He had to. We all know that our duty comes first. Yours as a Mord-Sith, his as the Seeker and mine as the Mother Confessor." Kahlan explained.

Cara snorted and said: "I was talking about you taking a mate. Richard isn't going to allow that."

Kahlan stood silent, letting the tears fall from her face.

"Oh, I see this isn't something you discussed with the Seeker." Cara added.

"I don't think he knows what going to Aydindrill implies for me." Kahlan said.

"Spirits Kahlan, he's the Seeker of Truth... he will know, if he doesn't know already." The Mord-Sith said.

Kahlan got up, dried her tears with the back of her hands, put on her Confessor face and said: "It doesn't matter, when the sun will rise, I'll be on my way to Aydindrill and he will be on his way to defeat the Keeper. Once he succeeds, he will go back to Hartland and go on with his life."

"Does that make you feel better?" Cara asked. "Thinking he'll go back and find someone to marry when the woman he loves betrayed him?"

Kahlan sighed, anger rising in her chest because of Cara's comment. Walking again towards the window she said: "He will hate me for betraying him, for letting someone else touch me and make me with child. With time, he will forget the pain and go on with his life."

"And you will live a life of sadness and loneliness." Cara added.

"I will live like many Confessors did before me. But I will have the memory of what it's like to love and be loved in return." Kahlan said, sighing again.

"Damn you Mother Confessor." Cara exclaimed as she got up, Kahlan could swear she had seen tears in the Mord-Sith eyes. Cara stormed out the room, leaving her clueless about where she was going.

"I'd rather share a room with a snoring Wizard then with a wiping Confessor." She heard Cara said in the hallway.

"Can you get up?" She heard Cara ask. Kahlan made her way to the door of her room, taking a look in the hallway and she saw Richard and Cara walking towards her. Richard was walking slowly, he still looked pale but in much better shape than when Kahlan last saw him.

Approaching the door, Cara pointed at Richard and said: "You need to rest." Then she pointed at Kahlan and said: "You need to rest as well."

Kahlan nodded with a small smile, wrapping her arm around Richard's waist, helping him to get in the room. Once they were inside, Cara added, pointing again at Richard: "You keep your hands off the Mother Confessor." Then she looked at Kahlan and said: "And try not to confess him if he does not keep his hands off you." And with that she closed the door.

"Here, lie down." Kahlan instructed Richard as they reached the bed. "Do you want something to drink or to eat?" She asked him.

"No, I'm okay, thank you. Zedd already gave me food and water." He replied, sitting up on the bed.

Kahlan reached for her bag back and took her bed roll out of it, setting it on the floor.

"Are you seriously considering sleeping on the floor?" Richard asked.

"Richard, you need to rest, you'll be better in a bed than on the floor, so yes, I am seriously considering sleeping on the floor." She replied, adjusting the bed roll.

"You should consider sleeping with me, we could share the bed." He said with a small smile.

"Richard! It's a bed!" She exclaimed, almost horrified by his proposal.

Laughing despite the pain, he knew exactly why she was reacting that way, he managed to say: "It is a bed. Nice and comfy. Nothing's going to happen as long as you keep your clothes on."

Kahlan pretended she didn't hear his comment and took her blanket out of her bag. Richard got up and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's going to be okay. It'll be the same than when we slept together in the woods. We'll just lie down, in each others arms. The only difference is that we won't be cold and our backs won't be killing us in the morning." Richard reassured her.

"I bet Cara and Zedd are sharing their bed too." He added with a smile.

Kahlan smiled at the thought of the old Wizard and the Mord-Sith sharing a bed.

"Richard, you should be resting, not up on your feet." Kahlan told him, shifting out of his embrace to look at him.

"I'm not resting if you are sleeping on the floor." He told her. "I even might do some exercise." He added.

Kahlan shook her head with a sigh, she smiled at him and said: "I'm not even arguing with you mister stubborn. This is a lost cause."

Richard smiled widely, victory was his. He approached her ear and whispered: "That's because you know you want to share this bed with me."

His teasing sent shivers down Kahlan spine, she closed her eyes and inhale his scent, hoping she would never forget it. Richard kissed her forehead and said: "Come on, let's get some sleep my love."

Opening her eyes, Kahlan nodded and said: "Let me put everything in my bag pack and I'll be right here."

"Okay." Richard replied before kissing her forehead once again and letting her go from his arms. He sat on the bed and proceeded to take off his boots and shirt.

Kahlan took a look at him and said: "So much for keeping our clothes on."

"I said 'your' clothes, not mine." He replied, throwing his shirt at her.

Catching his shirt she asked: "You don't know what it's like to sleep in a corset, do you?"

"Take it off." He shrugged

"You're really funny Richard." She told him. "I guess the sword injured more than your ribs and that Zedd wasn't able to fix your brain." And with that she threw him his shirt and finished the put her blanket in her bag pack.

"I'm not asking you to sleep naked Kahlan. Take off your corset, sleep just in your dress or in my shirt, I don't care, I just want you to feel comfortable, to take a good night of sleep." He told her. "I'm not forcing you to do anything against your will, I know and I understand what's holding you back."

"We're playing with fire here Richard. Every day we're growing closer and our game is getting more dangerous. As much as I love this game, the consequences of losing will be devastating." She told him sternly.

"Quit the Confessor talk Kahlan, you're going back to Aydindrill and our 'game' is ending." He replied sharply.

Kahlan felt like a knife was piercing through her heart, she stopped breathing for an instant as tears filled her eyes.

"Kahlan... I... I didn't mean..." Richard started.

"It's alright Richard. It's getting late, we should get some sleep." She cut him off and made her way to the other side of the bed, lying on top of the covers. She rested on her side, her back turn to Richard and let the tears roll freely on her face. She felt his hand touching her shoulder and heard him say: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Just... just get some sleep." She replied without turning to face him.

Letting go of her, he lied on his back and looked at the ceiling. "I just wanted to have you in my arms, to feel comfortable, warm and loved in my arms. I've been inappropriate and pushy and I'm sorry. Good night my love."

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Big thanks to klynnrhiannon for the review on last chapter, glad you enjoy my story as much as I enjoy yours!


	7. Chapter 7

New chapter! New chapter!

Let me know what ya think! Big drama coming soon!

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When Richard woke up the next morning, a ray of sun was warming his face. He felt Kahlan resting on his chest, her hair tickling his bare chest. He listened to her breathing and remembered their argument. He didn't dare to move, afraid she might wake up and push away from him. Looking at the window, trying to figure out for how long the sun had been up, he noticed Kahlan's corset and her Confessor dress lying on the floor. He furrowed his brows and suddenly the idea that she might be lying naked under the covers hit him, her body half straddling him, their legs intertwined. He gulped and his pulse and breathing accelerated, his need for her rising up in his body.

"Richard, are you okay?" She asked.

She was awake. Richard closed his eyes and Kahlan rose above him and said: "Your heart is racing. Are you still in pain? Do you want me to call Zedd?"

"Are you naked?" He asked, not daring to open his eyes.

"What? Spirits, no, no... I... I have your shirt on... am I... I..." Kahlan replied, panic gaining her.

"Just let me a moment to picture you with your clothes on, or to picture Zedd naked." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to concentrate.

When she realized why Richard's body was reacting, she blushed and push away from him.

"I'm so sorry. Let me... just give me a minute and I'll get dress properly. I shouldn't have... I'm sorry." She said.

Richard grabbed her by the waist before she could move and pressed her against him. "Do not apologize for being beautiful and so damn sexy." He told her.

"I feel like I'm torturing you." She told him.

"Then I am willing to be tortured like this every single day until the rest of my life." He replied with a smile.

"I can't remember the last time I slept so well." She told him, adjusting herself in his embrace. She started to draw invisible circles on his chest as he ran his hand through her hair.

"Why the change of clothing?" He asked.

"Once you fell asleep, after our argument yesterday, I watch you for a moment." She explained.

"You watched me sleep?" He asked, surprised.

Kahlan bit her lower lip and nodded. "You were so peaceful and handsome. You seemed happy." She added.

Kissing the top of her head he whispered: "I am happy."

She smiled and continued: "My mind started to wander and imagined what it would be like for us to be a normal couple."

"What was it like?" He asked. He loved when she was opening up to him, telling her about her hopes and dreams.

"Amazing. It was amazing Richard. I imagined us lying in bed together, not fearing each other's touch. It was perfect. And I wanted to feel that for real. What it is to lay by your side as a woman, not as a confessor, free from my corset and from my duty just for one night." She explained.

"I'm glad you changed your mind. How do you feel now?" He asked her.

"Like I never want to leave this bed." She replied, pushing herself closer to him.

"I so want to kiss you right now." He told her.

"That wouldn't be really wise Seeker." She told him, pushing herself on one elbow to look at him.

Both lying on their sides face to face, Richard could now see how she looked in his shirt. Brushing a strand of hair out of her face, he bent down to capture her lips with his but when their lips almost touched, Kahlan shook her head no with a wide smile, pressing a finger against his lips. He took her hand in his, intertwined their fingers and blocked their hands behind her back, causing their bodies to collide.

Feeling her heart beat faster against his chest and her breathing quickening Richard asked: "Kahlan, are you alright? Your heart is racing. Are you in pain? Do you want me to call Zedd?"

Kahlan did not respond and closed her eyes.

"Kahlan?" Richard asked a little surprised that mocking her didn't make her react.

"Shhh... I'm picturing Zedd naked." She told him.

They both burst out laughing and ended up kissing. The small kisses became more and more passionate as their hands roamed over each other's bodies. Richard's hand running up and down Kahlan's bare tight and her hands travelling up and down his spine and side.

"Richard! Kahlan!" They heard Cara knocking on the door.

They pulled away breathless and Richard buried his face in the crock of her neck as his hand rested on her tight.

Richard groaned and said: "Make her go away."

Kahlan smiled and said: "You are her Lord Rahl, you make her go away."

They heard knocking again and Richard groaned again. He pulled out reluctantly from Kahlan's embrace, got to the door and opened it.

"What is it Cara?" He asked.

"Good morning to you too Richard." She snorted as she looked at him from head to toes. Noticing he was only wearing his pants, that his hair was a giant mess, she looked into the room to find Kahlan on the bed wearing his shirt.

"You didn't... You two…" She muttered under her breath.

"No, Cara we didn't." Richard answered.

Ignoring him, the Mord-Sith looked at Kahlan and said: "Order him to do something he wouldn't do."

"I'm not confessed!" Richard exclaimed.

"Do it Kahlan." Cara ordered.

"Richard, I want you to kiss Cara as if she was me." Kahlan ordered.

Richard couldn't help but smiled, well knowing what Kahlan was trying to do here.

Cara was looking into his eyes so he made a step towards her and approached his lips close to hers. As Cara's eyes widen in surprised, she gasped and Richard burst out laughing, he then turned to Kahlan and said: "Sorry, I can't."

He turned back to Cara and said: "Your look was precious. I hope you now realize that I'm not confessed."

Cara grabbed her agiel, if a Mord-Sith look could kill, Richard would be talking with the Keeper right now.

"Zedd is waiting for you downstairs for breakfast." Cara said sternly before walking away, not really happy with the prank that had been played on her.

Closing the door of the room, Richard said: "She will make us pay for that."

Kahlan smiled and said: "I know, but the look on her face was priceless."

Crawling on the bed Richard gazed intensely in Kahlan's eyes and said: "Now... where were we my love?"

As their lips met for a kiss, Kahlan cupped his face with her hands and when their kiss became too intense, she pulled him away gently and said: "Breakfast, we should have breakfast."

Richard smiled, gave her a peck on the lips and Kahlan added: "I just need to change and put my clothes on and I'll be ready to meet Zedd and Cara."

"You're not getting out of this shirt unless it's absolutely necessary." He told her, tracing her jaw line with his finger. "Let breakfast come to you." He added, kissing her one more time before getting up and looking for his bag pack where he knew there was another of his shirt.

"Hmm, breakfast in bed..." Kahlan commented with a contented sigh.

"Just rest a little more and I'll be back." He instructed while putting on his boots.

She starred at him with a smile on her face.

"What?" He asked, smiling as well.

"You're perfect and I love you." She told him as he got up and walk to the door.

"Right back at you my love." He replied and reached the doorknob.

"Wait!" She exclaimed as she got up and ran to him. Standing on her toes she pressed her body against his and kissed him. When they pulled away, Kahlan asked: "Would our life be like that, if we were a couple?"

"We are a couple." Richard replied, cupping her cheek with his right hand.

"But..." Kahlan started but Richard silenced her with a small kiss.

"There are no buts my love. Being with you like this is enough for me, seeing your smile, cuddling up with you, it's enough." He said.

"It's not for me." She blurted and immediately regretted tell him that she wanted more than just hugging and kissing.

"Kahlan Amnell!" He exclaimed with a smile, making her blushed even more.

She averted his eyes but could feel him starring at her and she gave up: "Alright, yes... I want you Richard, so, so much. It's haunting me, when I'm awake, in my dreams..."

"Oh and what exactly do we do in your dreams?" He asked seductively.

"Richard!" She exclaimed as she playfully slapped his shoulder.

"I bet it's dirty." He added.

"Stop it!" She replied as they laughed.

He kissed her passionately and said: "One day Kahlan, we'll find a way to be together."

She nodded, he pressed her forehead against hers and trailed off: "I promise..." He gave her a peck on the lips and added: "We'll do all the naughty things inside that beautiful head of yours."

"Stop teasing me." She muttered, pressing her body against his and hugging him.

"If only you knew what's inside my head when I look at you... I should be the one blushing my love." He whispered in her ear.

Pulling out of her embrace, Richard took her hand and made a turn on herself to take a look at her whole body. Once she faced him, he kissed her once again and whispered: "I'll be right back... sexy."

Kahlan blushed and bit her lower lip, once Richard walked out the room, she went back to bed with the widest smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 8

Wow, 8 chapters already, I didn't know I could write so much about this story. Blame it on my LOTS withdrawl will you?

I know my english grammar sucks, sorry about that.

So, new chapter, as usual please read and review, at least let me know if someone's reading this!

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Richard came back in the room with a large plate of fruits in hands.

"Breakfast's here." He said, closing the door behind him, he walked towards to bed and gave the plate to Kahlan.

Giving him a smile, she thanked him. They shared a quick kiss and Richard took off his boots and shirt. He crawled on the bed, sitting behind Kahlan, his back resting on the headbord. Adjusting her position, Kahlan sat between his legs, her back pressed against his chest.

He kissed her shoulder and said: "Best breakfast ever."

Kahlan laughed slightly and said: "You haven't even tasted the fruits yet."

"Here, try this one." She added, feeding him with watermelon and taking a bite herself.

Richard swallowed and said: "Not too bad."

He wrapped his arms around her and captured her lips for a passionate kiss and said: "You always make fruits taste better."

Shaking head with a smile, Kahlan said: "You're crazy."

"That's because you drive me crazy." He said before kissing her neck, teasing with his tongue.

"I want you." He let out in a whisper. His warm breath on her neck made her close her eyes. She groaned when his arms left her waist and gasped when she felt his hands travelling under the shirt she was wearing but which belonged to him. He let his hands roam on her belly, not daring to go further in his exploration.

"Richard..." She whispered.

"I know my love. Tell me when it's too much for you to hold your powers and I'll stop." He whispered before teasing her jaw line with kisses.

"I don't want you to stop." She told him, her eyes still closed.

"Then let go." He replied, his hands slowly moving to caress her sides.

"I... Richard... I can't let go." She said.

Richard pulled out his hands from under her shirt and she protested.

"I know." He said with a smile. His hands made their way up to wander through her hair.

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, grabbing his hands, she made him wrap his arms around her. Her eyes were still closed and she didn't want to open them, ever. She wanted this feeling to last forever.

Richard stretched his arm to grab more watermelon and ate it.

"Best breakfast ever." He said.

Kahlan smiled. Finally opening her eyes she kissed him on the cheek, took the piece of watermelon he had in his hand and ate it.

They ate in silence and when the plate was empty, Kahlan got up to put the place on the table near the door, when she came back to bed, Richard welcomed her in his strong embrace. She was lying on top of him, resting her head under his chin and he was caressing her hair.

"Practice makes it better, right?" She suddenly asked.

"I guess." He replied, wondering what her point was.

"Maybe I could learn to control my powers, maybe this 'moment of ecstasy' theory is just something the Confessors invented in order to make every Confessor feel alone and miserable." She explained.

She pushed herself up to look at him and crushed her lips on his. She teased his lower lip with her tongue, begging him to deepen their kiss. When their tongues collided, Richard wrapped his arms around her and flipped her on her back, lying on top of her. She gasped and wrapped her arms around him holding him as close as possible.

When they parted for air, Richard looked straight in her eyes and said: "Kahlan..."

She cut him off and said: "I can hold my powers Richard, I know I can."

"Okay." He replied, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"I love the feeling of your hands on me..." She started and closed her eyes. "Please..." She begged.

Without hesitation, Richard crushed his lips on hers and she locked her arms around his neck. One of his hands travelled down to tickle her side under the shirt and she moaned, their kiss becoming more and more passionate. She was lost in the moment, enjoying the feeling of joy he was the only one able to trigger in her. When he shifted and placed his knee between her legs, she let out another deep and long moan. She shivered in anticipation as his hands where each time traveling closer to her chest. Feeling her powers emerged, unable to hold them inside of her, she pushed him away as hard as she could. It was worst that what she thought. Not only what she called the moment of ecstasy theory was right, but it was long before ecstasy that she couldn't control her powers. She couldn't lose herself in enjoying the pleasure of kisses and his hands roaming on her skin, she wasn't strong enough.

Richard almost fell off the bed and she sat up at the other side, bringing her knees to her chest as her powers released. He saw her eyes darken and her body shivered. He crawled next to her when he saw her head falling on her knees.

"Kahlan." He whispered, bringing his hand up to caress her arm.

"Don't." She whispered, not daring to look at him.

"It's alright Kahlan. We tried and you did not confess me." He explained.

"You don't understand." She told him.

"I know it's hard for you to have to deal with your powers, but it's alright." He reassured her.

She finally looked up at him, tears watering her eyes and said: "It's not alright Richard. I want to be with you. Share and feel the love and pleasure I have been longing to share with you... before I have to leave... before I have to..."

"Take a mate?" He asked abruptly.

Her mouth dropped ajar. He knew.

She looked down, closed her eyes and nodded. That was the only thing she could do. He knew. Of course he knew. He was the Seeker Of Truth.

"I'm sorry." She managed to say, trying to contain her tears.

"Sorry for thinking that I was a fool and that I wouldn't know what going to Aydindrill meant or sorry for being about to lay with another man?" He asked. His voice was so cold that Kahlan shivered.

"For being a monster." She said. She got up but had to hold on the bed to keep her balance, she still felt the weakness that appeared after releasing her powers. "I cannot be here." She said, grabbing her corset, dress and bag pack.

Richard got up, ready to catch her if she collapsed on the floor but he did not stop her. Anger had taken the best of him. He was mad at everything. Mad at her for not sharing the burden of having to take a mate, mad at her powers for keeping them from making love, mad at her future mate that he wanted to kill even if he didn't know him. He was surprised when he noticed that she had found the strength to get to the door and opened it, steadying her balance with the help of the doorknob and the wall.

"You're half naked." He told her when he saw her walking in the hallway. She did not stop. He didn't know if she had heard him.

A loud noise came to his ears and he heard Zedd exclaimed: "Spirits, Kahlan what is going on here?"

When he peered at the entrance of the room, he saw his grandfather helping Kahlan to get up.

Cara looked straight in Richard's eyes, seeing his anger, hatred and sadness and taking a look at Kahlan, the Mord-Sith immediately understood what scene was being played here.

"Come on." Cara said, dragging Kahlan towards the room she unfortunately shared with Zedd.

"I..." Kahlan tried to say. Tears were flooding down her cheeks, she was exhausted. A mysterious pain in her chest was making it hard for her to breath.

"Can't... breath." She finally let out, it seemed like she was drowning.

"You're gonna be fine." Cara said as they entered the room.

Zedd looked at Richard who was starring at the door Cara and Kahlan had just passed.

"Care to explain me what happened my boy?" The Wizzard asked.

"She's going to Aydindrill. She's taking a mate." Richard bitterly answered. He gave a look at his grandfather and stepped back into his room. After closing the door, he sat on the bed. He had never felt like this before, so empty yet so full of rage. He was mad at Kahlan, not because she was about to lay with another man but because she had lied to him. She could have told him about it, they could have talked about it instead of pretending that going to Aydindrill didn't mean to take a mate. He couldn't stay in this room anymore. He quickly get dressed and took the sword of truth, maybe he would find some armed man looking for troubles to fight with in order to ease his anger. He left the room and ran down the stairs and got out of the tavern, sword in hand. He looked around but he was alone. He kicked a log and screamed in anger. Far from easing his anger, he rose his sword and let it hit a cedar tree, marking the trunk. He repeated his action several times, screaming every time his sword hit the trunk.

"Are you alright Sir?" He heard a little voice ask behind him. He turned, wiping the sweat that was covering his face with his forearm. Dropping the sword, he sat on a log, facing the little girl who was standing in front of him. She seemed to be four, maybe five years old, she was a brunette with brown eyes. Richard didn't know where she came from but he was willing to answer her.

"Yes, I am alright." He replied.

"My name is Katty, what's yours?" She asked.

"I'm Richard." The Seeker replied.

"Why are you angry?" Katty innocently asked.

"It's complicated, grown ups things." He avoided.

"It's about love then. Mommy always says it's complicated when it's about love." Katty replied.

"I think your Mommy is very wise." Richard said trying to smile.

"You stay here, right? With the girl in the white dress. You were hurt yesterday." Katty said.

"You sure know a lot of things for being so young." Richard replied.

"I stay here a lot." She said. "Mommy works here. I always watch the new people when they come in." She added.

The tavern door opened, revealing Kahlan. She was wearing her usual Confessor dress and was caring her bag pack. Richard and Katty turned their attentions towards her when they heard the door closed behind her. Richard's heart skipped a bit and he felt anger filling him again. Kahlan stopped walking when she noticed him, their eyes met for half a second before she looked down. She looked pale and tired and Richard noticed her teary eyes. Not feeling at ease, Kahlan threw her bag pack over her shoulder and began walking in direction of Aydindrill.

"Why is she leaving?" Katty asked, getting Richard's attention by tugging on his sleeve as he kept looking at Kahlan.

"She's going back where she belongs." He said.

"What is a Mother Confessor? Does she have children? Why did my Mommy told me not to get closed to her?" Katty asked.

"Huh..." Richard started, taken aback by how much the young girl new. "People are afraid of her because she has a special power that can be dangerous. She's a called the Mother Confessor because she's the last of her kind and she doesn't have children... yet." He tried to explain without getting things too complicated.

"But you are not afraid of her, why?" Katty asked again.

"Because I... I... I love her." He said, trying to contain his tears.

"If you love her, you shouldn't let her go alone in the forest, it's dangerous." Katty stated.

He tried to see Kahlan but she was already gone, engulfed by the forest. Panic filled his mind and heart as he realized she could get hurt while traveling alone, or even worst. To him, the idea of losing her to the Keeper was worst than losing her to a mate. He got up and decided to go after her and escort her to Aydindrill. That was his initial plan, not letting her go until he knew she was safe but, anger, fear and jealousy had taken the best of him.

He was determined to make sure she was alright.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the wait but I've been enjoying some well deserved vacations! So, here's the new chap, hope you'll like it. Let me know what you think!

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Richard had left the tavern and was now walking in the woods, after Kahlan. He had lost time explaining to Zedd and Cara how he had to go after Kahlan and make sure she was safe. The hardest part hadn't been to explain why he had to go after her but to convince the Mord-Sith to stay with Zedd and keep on searching how to defeat the Keeper.

Following Kahlan's tracks had been easy since she didn't bother covering it. Fastening his pace, Richard had easily found her. Yet, he was staying at a reasonable distance, making sure she didn't know he was here. He didn't think he was ready to talk to her, all the emotions building and boiling inside of him were keeping him from being able to think straight. He knew that if he talked to her, his anger would take the best of him and he didn't want to fight with her. He understood why she had to go to Aydindrill, but the idea of her lying with another man made him sick. His reason was telling him to understand her choice, but his heart didn't understand why his love wasn't enough.

After a whole day of walking in the forest, he noticed she didn't even stop for food or water. When it got too dark to keep on walking, she stopped and sat down against a tree. Not bothering lighting a fire, she took her green blanket out of her bag and wrapped it around her shoulders. She then reached for Richard's shirt she was wearing at the tavern and her dagger for protection. Clutching the shirt and the weapon against her chest she tried to fall asleep but instead of slumber, pain and sorrow overtook her and she cried all night long. Watching her from afar, Richard's heart ached. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be fine, except that nothing would be fine, soon she would take a mate and their ways would part for ever. Richard did not find sleep either that night.

When morning came, Kahlan got up slowly. Her back was killing her for resting against a tree for so long. She put the shirt and her blanket in her bag and her dagger in her boot. When she got up, she adjusted her dress and hoped that there was a river or a lake not far away so she could wash a little.

Richard followed her all day, she was still not eating, barely drunk water when she had stopped by a river to wash. The sun was getting lower in the sky and he knew she would have to stop her journey for the night. Suddenly, the voice of a man caught his attention. He discretely got closer to Kahlan to see her standing in front of two men that Richard identified clearly like two robbers. Nothing she couldn't handle.

"I have nothing valuable for you." Kahlan stated.

"A beautiful woman always has something to offer." A man replied, clearly not acknowledging that they were in front of a Confessor.

"You'll have to come get what you want, because I'm not giving you anything." She told him.

The shorter of the two men approached her, trying to take her bag pack, she grabbed his arm and elbowed him harshly in the jaw and he felt unconscious on the floor.

"You sure know how to fight for a woman." The last man standing stated, getting closer to her. Without a warning his fist hit her jaw, making her stumble backwards. The man was much bigger and stronger than the first one. Kahlan looked at him and smiled. He hit her a second time, cutting her lower lip. She did not attack him in return.

"Are you one of those women who like it when it's rough?" The man asked with a wide smile on his face.

When his fist encountered her stomach, she fell on the floor, catching her breath. She got up again, it was too much for Richard, he didn't know what she was trying to accomplish here, but he had to end it so he ran towards her. Before he could reach her, the man had his sword in his hand and was already attacking Kahlan, she couldn't block him but she managed to grab him by the neck and confessed him. All she saw was another sword going through the man's body from behind, and she collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

When Kahlan opened her eyes, it was dark. She heard the sound of a fire. Her face and stomach were aching. Slowly she remembered the fight, releasing her powers. Trying to find where she was and who had started the fire, she tried to sit up.

"You shouldn't sit." She heard a voice say. She immediately recognized Richard's voice. Looking around her, she realized she was in a cave. Richard was sitting across the fire, starring at her. She laid on her back and he said: "I cleaned the wound his sword let you on the stomach, there is an ointment on it. It's not too deep, you'll be okay tomorrow." He explained.

She nodded and looked down to look at her wound. That's when she realized she was only wearing his shirt.

"You... undressed me?" She asked.

"I had to, to heal your injuries. You're beautiful, you won't even have to confess your mate to order him to lay with you." He replied bitterly.

His sentence hit her harder than the fist of the robber had before. She closed her eyes, trying not to cry.

"You have to eat, it'll help for your recovery." He said.

She did not answer, keeping her eyes closed.

"You let him hit you, why?" He asked.

As she didn't move, he asked again: "Why did you let him hit you?"

No answer.

"Damn it Kahlan! WHY?" He yelled, making her jump.

She finally sat up and looked at him.

"What do you want me to say Richard?" She asked, anger filling her eyes.

She continued: "Do you want to hear me say that I let him hit me because I deserve it? Because I hate myself for hurting you and I wanted to be punished? That I want to feel on my body the aching I feel in my heart?"

"Is that what you want? To know that I'm miserable? Do you want to know that the man chosen as my mate won't be confessed when he takes me? That I'll beg for him to stop when he will ease himself on me?" She added, sadness replacing anger in her eyes. Richard was staring at her, he didn't really know what to say.

Kahlan took a breath and continued: "If my mate is confessed, I'll order him to stop, but if he is not, no matter if I beg, cry or plead, he'll go through with it to make me with child."

She got up and ran out of the cave, he heard her throw up.

Before getting up, he poured some water into a cup and went outside the cave to give it to her. She was bent in two, holding her hair with one hand.

"I don't need your pity Richard." She told him when she heard him getting close.

He handed her the cup that she took, putting some water in her mouth before spitting it on the ground.

"Does it ease your pain? Knowing that I'll be punished until the end of my life for betraying you? That I'll look at my daughters hoping they were yours too?" She asked again. Her tone was so cold that Richard was speechless.

"Don't worry Richard, the woman who chose her duty over you will regret it until her last days." She added, her hand patting his shoulder and giving her the coldest look he had ever seen. With that, she walked back in the cave.

When Richard stepped in, he saw her gathering her things.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm leaving, I can't stay here." She replied, not bothering to turn to him.

"You can't leave, it's already dark and dangerous out there." He told her.

"I can't stay here with you." She told him. Her tone was still so cold, similar to the one she had when she was into the ConDar.

"Kahlan, you're bleeding." He said, noticing the wound on her stomach was marking his shirt with blood.

She ignored him and made her way to the exit of the cave which was blocked by Richard's body.

"Step aside." She ordered, looking straight into his eyes. Richard didn't move. This was not his Kahlan, she was in shock, she wouldn't react like this, going alone, half naked in a dark forest, it wasn't like her.

"I said, step aside Richard." She repeated in vain.

Sighting loudly, she decided to push him out of her way, but she was too tired and weak to even make him slightly move.

"Let me go." She said as she tried to push him again.

"I'm not going to let yourself get armed willingly." He told her.

"Let me go." She repeated, now hitting his chest with her fists.

"Calm down Kahlan, you need to rest. Let me take care of your bleeding." He told her calmly, letting her hit him.

"I can't... Richard, please let me go. Please." She begged as tears began to fall down her bruised face.

"I can't..." She sobbed. "I can't keep pretending that you love me."

He grabbed her fists and she added: "Let me go please. Let me go."

Feeling weaker, she fell on her knees and said: "Every time I look at you, I see how much I hurt you... It's killing me."

Richard got to his knees, he brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Don't." She said, pushing his hand away.

"I don't deserve your love or your kindness." She added looking down.

He brushed another strand out of her face and she let him this time.

She closed her eyes and said in a whisper: "I'm sorry for pretending everything was alright during that last few days."

"You need to lie down so I can take care of your injury." He whispered.

She was slowly calming down and he didn't want to straddle her.

She shook her head no and said: "You can't love me."

"Kahlan, you've already lost too much blood." He said.

"He's going touch me and... you can't love me now that you know." She said, tears still flooding her face.

Realizing that she wouldn't let him help her, he decided to act differently. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. Walking to her bed roll, he carefully laid her on it.

"You have to hate me." She whispered.

"Try to get some sleep." He told her before he lifted up her shirt and started to work on her wound.

"I can't sleep..." She said, tears running on her face.

Richard brought his hands on each side of her face and said: "Kahlan look at me."

She kept her eyes closed and whispered: "I can't."

"Kahlan..." Richard whispered, he was desperate to calm her. He wanted her to stop crying, to stop hating herself for who she was, what she was about to do. He was enraged about everything but he knew that he had to help her. He loved her above everything else, and as much as it was breaking his heart that she had to go to Aydindrill, seeing her like this was killing him.

"Look at me." He whispered, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

As she didn't open her eyes, he kissed her forehead and said: "I love you. Don't blame yourself for something you haven't done."

"I lied to you." She whispered.

"From the moment you told me you had to go, I knew what it meant Kahlan. You didn't lie. We both knew but didn't want to admit it to each other." He told her, kissing her forehead once again.

She finally opened her eyes, red from all her cries and said: "I'm sorry you fell in love with the wrong person. You deserve better than me."

"I love you Kahlan Amnell, only you. You are not the wrong person for me because being with you feels so right to me. I love you." He said, brushing a strand of her out of her face, he could see that she was doing better now.

"I'm scared." She admitted.

"I know." He replied. She closed her eyes, she wasn't used to being so vulnerable like this, not matter how hard she tried to show her Confessor face, she was miserably failing.

"You are exhausted Kahlan, just try to get some rest now okay? I'll finish cleaning your wound and we'll talk when you wake up alright?" He told her.

She nodded and he kissed her on the forehead one last time and she whispered that she loved him before falling asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Update! Enjoy!

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She sat up and gasped for air. It was the same nightmare again. It was coming back everytime she drifted to sleep. The sun would be up soon so she decided it was best not to try to get some sleep again, it was hopeless anyway.

"It's okay, I'm here." She heard him say. He was sitting at the other side of the fire, he stood there all night, watching her struggling with her nightmares.

She nodded slightly.

"Do you need anything?" He asked.

She shook her head no in answer, but that was a lie, she needed him, she needed his embrace, for him to hold her close, she needed to smell his scent, to feel his heart beat against her hand... she needed him. She was exhausted and she needed him to hold her.

"I'm going to make some tea and get something to eat, after that I'll check on your injuries and we'll be good to go." He stated.

Good to go, the last thing she wanted was to leave this place, she just wanted to sleep in his arms, too feel secure and loved, she wanted to sleep without having nightmares again.

She nodded and a tear escaped her eye against her will and she brushed it quickly with the back of her hand.

"Talk to me." He told her.

"The nightmares..." Was all she could say.

"You didn't get much sleep last night." He said.

She nodded and said: "There was this man... he was on top of me, he was strong and I couldn't get away from him... I could feel him... against me" She mumbled.

"I cried for help, kept calling your name but you where gone." She continued.

"When he was done, I looked for you and when I found you, you... you were with Cara... getting from her what I can't give you. Then Zedd came up behind me and told me that this is what I get for betraying the man I love." She finished.

"I would never do that to you." He told her.

"I know Richard. It's just a nightmare." She replied, trying to smile.

"I heard your cries last night, I should have come to you and hold you." He told her.

"It's alright, this is hard on you too, I understand." She lied.

"No, you don't understand." He said. "I heard you calling my name, begging for me to come save you from him. Heard you beg him to stop hurting you."

Tears were forming in his eyes and he continued: "And I'm so so mad at myself for not being able to help you, I feel so powerless. I should have found a way for us to be together, so we could get married and have beautiful baby Confessors."

He ran his hand through his hair and added: "I have failed you Kahlan and I cannot take you in my arms and tell you that everything will be alright when I don't know how to love you. When my love isn't enough for us to be together."

"It's not your fault Richard. There probably isn't a way to love a Confessor." She replied sternly.

"I won't let anyone hurt you Kahlan." He told her.

"I know." She replied, giving him a small smile.

"Let me check on your wound." He told her as he got up to sit next to her. Lying on her back, Kahlan pulled away her blanket so he could access her stomach where the injury was situated. Lifting up his shirt that she was wearing, he inspected her wound. She tensed up when she felt his fingers touching her skin. He realized that she was trembling and asked: "Are you cold?"

"A little, but mainly exhausted." She replied.

"We should stay here today, it will allow you to rest and recover." He told her.

"Okay." She simply said.

"What? No fighting, no 'I'm alright Richard'?" He asked with a smile, trying to lighten things for the both of them.

"No, no arguing, I'm okay with staying here a little while longer." She replied. Truth was that the more she stayed in the cave, the later she'll be in Aydindrill. As much as she wanted to go home, she was frightened of what was waiting for her there.

"Alright then, today is about resting. I'm quite tired myself you know." He said, getting up much to her dislike. She hoped he would have stayed next to her longer.

Richard put more wood in the fire and then reached his bag pack to retrieve his bedroll and his blanket out of it. Kahlan smiled when she saw him walking in her direction and settling down next to her. She turned on her side to look at him.

"You should try to get some sleep." He told her.

"I don't want to have nightmares again. But you can sleep, I'll be alright." She replied.

Richard smiled and said: "Okay, come here." He got closed to her and welcomed her in his embrace. She laid her head on his chest and he adjusted the blankets on her. Pulling at his shirt, she nuzzled his chest right above his heart, inhaling his scent. She gave a quick peck on his chest, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against her lips.

"Hold on." He told her as he sat up. She looked at him confused and watched him taking off his shirt. His perfect body always amazed her.

Putting the shirt on the floor behind him, he stated: "A pillow for me, and more warmth for you."

As soon as his back hit his bedroll, Kahlan snuggled into his arms. She kissed his chest again and said: "I love you."

"I remember when I first saw you back in Hartland..." He started, his hand caressing her hair.

"When you saved me from the quad." She said, her head comfortably resting on his chest and her hand caressing his side.

He nodded and said: "Back then you didn't even want me to touch you, because of your powers."

She stood silent and he said: "I know there is a way for us Kahlan, there has to be. I won't let anyone else touch you against your will."

"It's going to be okay Richard. I'm going to be okay." She assured him. It was all a lie. She didn't know how things could be okay but she needed him to believe it. She didn't want the man she loved to beat himself up for something he was powerless about. There was no way for them to be together without confessing him and she didn't want him to feel like it was his fault, because he didn't find a way. It was all her powers' fault, her fault. No one else's.

There was a comfortable silence and said: "I don't want you to stay in Aydindrill."

"What?" He asked, completely taken aback by her decision. He had just told her that he would protect her and she didn't want him to stay by her side.

"You have your quest and, in Aydindrill, I'm not going to be the same, I'll be the Mother Confessor there. Somehow Kahlan Amnell will be gone, I'll have to deal with the council and all lot of others things that the Mother Confessor has to deal with." She explained.

"I'll have to focus on my duty, be strong, emotionless, act like a leader and I'm not able to do all those things when you're around." She added with a sighed.

"Does it mean that you think that I make you weak?" He asked.

"No, Richard, of course not. It just means that I don't want you to see me as the Mother Confessor, bossing people around, having maids, ordering people what to do... I don't want you to be here when I'll confess prisoners who committed horrible crimes..." She said.

"We're not going to argue about this Kahlan, first because being the Mother Confessor is part of who you are and I accepted that a long time ago and second because your sleep deprivation is making you say things you don't really mean to." He told her sternly.

"Now, will you please try to relax and get some sleep?" He asked, almost begging her.

She stood quiet for some minutes and finally let out: "It's not far. Aydindrill. It's just a day away."

"Kahlan..." He warned. He knew she had a lot of troubles dealing with the situation. He just wanted her to sleep and get some strength back.

"I can't sleep. I won't." She said.

"Why? You said yourself that you are exhausted." He said.

"I don't want to sleep because when I'll wake up, we'll have to leave and get to Aydindrill." She explained.

"Here's what we're going to do..." He started. "We're going to sleep for some hours, until it's around lunch time, then I'll go hunting for food while you'll rest a little more. After lunch, we'll relax at the lake, there's a waterfall, it's beautiful. We'll probably have a nap in the grass and then we'll go hunting together for dinner. We won't talk about Aydindrill, we'll just relax. How does that sound to you?" He asked when he finished explaining his plans for the day.

"Sounds okay." She replied.

"There might be some kissing involved too." He added with a bright smile.

"Kissing sounds just about perfect." She replied, smiling as well.

"Now, will you close your eyes and sleep my love?" He asked gently.

"There is something I want to tell you first." She said, avoiding looking up at him. She was watching her fingers caressing his chest.

Gathering her strengths, she propped on one elbow and looked at him.

"No matter what I say or what I do. No matter what will happen, the choices I make, the things I have to do, I just want you to know that I love you with all my heart and all my being. Love isn't enough powerful to describe how I feel. You are the reason I wake up everyday." She said, caressing his face.

"All my life I was told that men were either mates or warriors, like puppets to use when needed, loose one, get another one. But then I met you and you turned my life upside down." She added with a smile.

"You made me a better person Richard, you taught me how to laugh and how to love. So, no matter what happens next, just know that I love you and that my greatest regret in life is not being able to have a family with you." She finished with tears in her eyes.

"That's quite a declaration." He said with a smile, making Kahlan blush.

"Everyday I thank the Spirits for sending you to me." He added before kissing her.

When they pulled apart, she took her previous position, her head resting on his chest, caressing his sides with her hand. She adjusted the blankets on them and said: "Maddison and Samantha."

"What?" He asked.

"Our girls, I always imagined that Maddison and Samantha would the names of our baby girls." She replied with a soft smile.

"Well, I thought it could be Grace and Faith." He said.

"Grace and Faith?" She asked.

"Yes, although we would have to name one after Zedd." He joked.

"It's a nice life we could have." She said with sadness in her voice.

"Maybe after I defeat the Keeper, I could go to Aydindrill and help you raise your girls." He said.

"I could never ask you to do such thing. Raising daughters that aren't yours... that aren't ours." She replied.

"You didn't asked, I proposed to help you." He cleared.

"No." She said firmly.

"After you are done with the Keeper, you are going back to Hartland. I don't want you to witness my betrayal every single day of your life." She explained.

"You won't get rid of me so easily Kahlan." He told her.

"Maybe your broken heart will lead you away." She said.

"Well, I guess we will have to wait and see." Richard said. "Or maybe, Maddison, Samantha, Grace and Faith will have you and I as parents." He added.

"I'm not giving up on you Kahlan, not now, not ever." He reassured her one more time.

"That's four daughters." She said.

"If I find a way for us to make love, I don't plan on stopping for the sake of birth control, I'll never get enough of you." He said with a chuckle.

Kahlan blushed and kissed his chest and said: "I love you."

"I love you too. Now sleep my love." He told her.

She nodded and closed her eyes, feeling safe in the embrace of her one true love, Richard Cypher.


	11. Chapter 11

Well, here's the new chapter! Tell me what you think please!

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"We're here." Richard said as they stopped in front of the Confessor's Palace.

"You're home." He said.

Kahlan didn't answer, her home wasn't this huge cold palace, her home was with Richard.

"It's beautiful." Richard added.

Kahlan turned her back to the palace and sat on the white stairs, noticing her move, Richard joined her.

"There are some things that I want you to have." She said, reaching for her bag pack. Pulling out her green blanket, she gave it to Richard.

"Spirits know the nights can be cold in the forest." She said and then she reached for her daggers.

"For protection. I won't need them anymore in the Palace." She told him, handing him her weapons.

"Kahlan..." Richard whispered, knowing that this meant their ways have to separate now that Kahlan was in Aydindrill.

"We're going to be okay Richard." She said, to reassure him as much as herself. She was trying to stay calm, breathing slowly, controlling her emotions and putting on her best Confessor face. This was her way of dealing with the pain of having to leave the man she loved for a life she will hate.

"So, this is where you grew up?" Richard asked. Small conversation would be a good trick to delay their goodbyes.

"Yes, with my mother and Dennee." She replied with a sad smile.

"Are you sure that you are going to be safe in there?" He asked.

She nodded slightly. Richard took her hands in his and said: "I want you to promise me something."

"Richard..." She said, she couldn't promise him not to take a mate, not to do her duty as the Mother Confessor.

"Listen to me Kahlan." He said, getting closer to her.

"I don't want anyone to harm you, I don't want you to be hurt. So when time will come and you have to... you know... with your mate, I want you to promise me that you won't let him hurt you... even if it means that you have to… enjoy it." He explained, pretty sure that everything he just said came out wrong.

Kahlan's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man she loved, asking her to enjoy lying with another man.

"Just think about it as an act of lust and pleasure and not an act of love." He added, with tears in his eyes. "Enjoy what I can't give you and keep our love in your heart." He added.

"I promise." She said and it broke her heart. From this very moment she was starting to betray him, promising him something she shouldn't have promised. How could the place she grew up and felt safe be her worst nightmare now?

She felt Richard kissing her hand and he said: "It's okay to be the Mother Confessor. I know what you have to do and I'm not mad at you. I just love you and I want you to be safe."

She nodded again, her throat was so tight with fear, sadness and anger that she couldn't speak.

While walking towards Aydindrill that day, they came to the agreement that Richard will wait for Zedd and Cara in the Confessor's Palace, but once they would have reached the entrance and said their goodbyes, they wouldn't see each other again. Richard could inspect the palace and make sure that it required everything for Kahlan's safety while she would start working on her Mother Confessor's duties. Zedd and Cara would be at the palace soon and Richard would resume his quest to defeat the Keeper.

Taking a big breath, Kahlan said: "And I want you to promise me that you will go back to Hartland with all of this is over."

Richard opened his mouth to object but she silenced him by placing a finger on his lips.

"Promise me Richard. I don't want you to come back to me and see me with a mate and daughters. I don't want you too see me living alone the life we should have together." She added.

He closed his eyes and softly nodded, the hand she used to silence him traced the features of his face.

"What we had together, it was more than I could ever hope for. More than I ever dreamt of. I'll cherish every moments spent with you until the rest of my life." She said, tears pooling in her eyes. Richard wrapped his arms around her and pressed her body against his. She rested her head in the crock of his neck, doing the best she could to contain her tears.

"I wish we had more time." He whispered.

"Kahlan? Kahlan Amnell?" They heard a voice call from behind them.

Kahlan sighed and turned her towards the palace and saw a woman in her mid age coming their ways.

Getting up quickly, Kahlan straightened her Confessor dress the best she could.

"Sylvia? Is that you?" She asked.

Richard got on his feet as well and Sylvia hugged Kahlan with force indicating to him that they knew each other very well.

When Sylvia noticed Richard staring at her she backed away from Kahlan immediately and looked down.

"Pardon my familiarity, Mother Confessor." She quickly said bowing in front of Kahlan.

"It's alright Sylvia, I'm happy to see you. Will you please get my mother's quarters ready for me?" She asked, wanting Sylvia to give her and Richard some space.

"Of course, Mother Confessor." The woman replied, bowing again before leaving them alone.

"Who is she?" Richard asked.

"She's a maid. She's been in the palace long before I was born. She took care of me and my sister when our mother was busy." Kahlan explained.

As servants and guards gathered at the entrance of the palace, wanting to see for themselves the truth of Sylvia's words, that the Mother Confessor had returned, Richards brushed a strand of hair out of Kahlan face and said: "Looks like your new life is waiting for you."

Kahlan closed her eyes as Richard cupped her face with his hands and kissed her on the forehead causing people not far away from them to gasp and whisper.

Keeping his lips close to her forehead he whispered: "I should have bowed down at your feet, right?"

Kahlan smiled and shook her head slightly in agreement.

He surprised her by kissing on the lips, teasing her lower lip with his tongue. When the whispers intensified, Richard pulled away with a wide smile on his face, happy not to follow any protocol he was supposed to follow while addressing to the Mother Confessor.

"I want everyone to know that you're not just the Mother Confessor, you are Kahlan Amnell, you are to be loved and love in return." He stated.

"There are so many things that I want to say to you Richard..." She started.

"I know..." He said, looking straight in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, thank you and I love you." She said quickly.

"I'm so sorry, thank you and I love you too Kahlan." He replied. None of them needed to say more. Richard was sorry that he didn't find a way for them to be together, Kahlan was sorry that she had to choose her duty instead of their love. Both were thankful for the love they had given to each other. And for the love they shared, they just had to look in each other's eyes.

"Always." She said closing her eyes.

"Always." Richard repeated before kissing her.

Richard pulled away when he felt her tears running on her face.

"Spirits, I swore I wouldn't cry." Kahlan said, wiping her tears quickly.

After a short silent, Richard said: "I guess this is it then."

Kahlan nodded, her throat was so tight that it hurt again.

"From the moment I saw you in Hartland until now, those were the best days of my life." He told her. "You made me happy beyond everything." He added, he wasn't able to contain his tears anymore.

Reaching up to dry his tears, Kahlan said: "Stay out of troubles, listen to Zedd and Cara."

"Let me stay with you." He blurted out.

"I know we've talked about this, but I can't let you go Kahlan." He said before she could say anything.

Kahlan gave him a sad smile and said: "You have to let me go."

Richard nodded but grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"I love you." He told her.

Kahlan got closed to him and ran her free hand trough his hair.

"I love you too." She said before kissing him on the cheek.

With that she grabbed her bag pack and walked away, leaving Richard alone on the stairs of the Confessor Palace.

Reaching the entrance she looked at the people waiting for her and stated, pointing at Richard: "This is Richard Cypher, the Seeker of Truth. He is welcome here but not allowed in my quarters, as long as his friends who will be here soon."

Everyone bowed in front of her and she walked in the palace, not daring to look back at Richard. She had made a choice, her duty above him and now she had to deal with the consequences of betraying someone she loved.

"Everything is ready, Mother Confessor." Sylvia said as she walked up to Kahlan who nodded in return, her Confessor face wasn't giving her emotions away for once, but her red eyes from crying surely did.

When Kahlan reached the quarters that she and Dennee shared with her mother when they were younger, she felt better because everything was as if she never left the palace.

"Do you need anything, Mother Confessor?" Sylvia asked.

"No, thank you. You may go now." Kahlan replied.

When she heard the door close behind the maid, Kahlan dropped her pack on the floor and walked toward the window. There was a balcony but she preferred to stay inside the room. Looking down, she saw the stairs in front of the entrance of the palace, and she saw him.

He was sitting on the stairs, his elbow resting on his knees. He looked lost. Kahlan hoped that Zedd and Cara would arrive soon so he wouldn't have to stay alone, plus the day was almost over and the sun was setting down slowly.

She walked out of her room and found a guard.

"I want you to find a maid and tell her that I want food and water brought to the Seeker as soon as possible. Get a room ready for him if he wants to rest." She instructed.

"Very well, Mother Confessor." The guard replied before leaving.

Making her way back in her room, Kahlan reached her bag pack and took Richard's shirt that she had kept, inhaling his scent was making her feel a little less alone. She sat on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment, a strong headache was pounding in her head. She considered lying down for a moment but she wouldn't be able to sleep, not with Richard staying alone in front of the palace. She got up, letting out a huge sigh and walked to the window, Richard should be in a room inside the palace by now. She was surprised when she saw that he hadn't move. What was he doing?

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes." She answered.

Sylvia came in and Kahlan didn't even bother to turn to her.

"The Seeker declined your offer, Mother Confessor." The maid said.

"Did he say anything?" Kahlan asked.

"Just that he was waiting for his friends and he didn't want to get in." She replied.

"Try again, tell him that I insist." Kahlan ordered.

"Yes, Mother Confessor. Anything else?" Sylvia asked.

"That will be all, thank you." She said in a cold tone that she didn't like.

The night will be here soon and she didn't want Richard to stay alone in the dark and the cold. She couldn't go back to him, it would be too hard on her to say goodbye to him again. She couldn't. She hoped that either Richard will accept to get in the palace or that Zedd and Cara would be here soon.


	12. Chapter 12

Here's the new chapter. Is anyone still reading this? Come and say hi!

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It was too much. Kahlan was sitting in a chair in her room for hours now. She was restless. How could she sleep anyway? Richard was still outside the palace, refusing to get inside or to eat. The sun had been down for hours, it was probably freezing cold outside. She couldn't see him from her window anymore, it was too dark. She had ordered guards and maids to check on him as often as possible and to let her know every time they did. Every time, they told her that the Seeker asked them to leave him alone and that he was waiting for Zedd and Cara. They also told her that he had a green blanket around his shoulders but he was shivering from the cold. The thought of him wrapped in her blanket made her smile but the smile rapidly vanished from her face.

She had to go see him, tell him to get inside and get warm. There was a room ready for him with a fire and he could drink hot tea. The problem was that she couldn't see him again. When they were in the woods, they had promised each other that once they've said their goodbyes, they couldn't see each other again. Knowing that Richard would have to wait for Zedd and Cara to reach up to him in Aydindrill, they've decided that saying goodbye once was hard enough and that they wouldn't do it twice. They had to add to that, the fact that Richard's couldn't be allowed in the Mother Confessor quarters at night if he wasn't her mate.

It was all Richard's fault, if he wasn't so stubborn by wanting to stay outside in the dark and the cold, she wouldn't have to get to him and convince him to get inside. She knew she was lying to herself, she didn't have to see him, she needed to see him. Her body, heart and mind were aching for him.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes." She said, allowing the visitor to come in.

"Mother Confessor." Said Sylvia while bowing in front of Kahlan.

"I'm afraid the Seeker won't change his mind." She added.

Kahlan sighed and rubbed her temples, her headache was killing her.

Coming closer, Sylvia said in a soft tone: "Kahlan, my dear, you have to go see him, he's going to catch a terrible cold."

"And maybe once he'll be safe inside, you'll be able to get some rest." The maid continued as Kahlan didn't respond.

"Will you get me a coat, please?" Kahlan asked.

Sylvia smiled and said: "Of course, Mother Confessor."

When Kahlan got to Richard, he was hugging his knees against his chest and resting his head on his knees. When he heard her footsteps, he knew it was her, but he didn't move to look at her. His eyes were closed and his body trembling.

She sat next to him and ran her warm hand on the back of his neck, running her fingers in his hair from time to time.

"Richard..." Kahlan trailed off with a sigh.

"I'm waiting for Zedd and Cara." He said, repeating what he had said to the guards and the maids over and over.

"Why don't you wait for them inside? We have a room for you." She said.

"If I get in, I'll try to see you and we said that once we've said goodbye, it'll be over." He explained. "You shouldn't even be here." He added.

"I know..." Kahlan replied, remembering that she was breaking their promise. Maybe he didn't want to see her after all. He didn't even look at her. Maybe he hated her already.

"I'm sorry." She said, backing away from him. "I shouldn't have come, I have no rights. I just... I couldn't rest knowing that you were here." She explained.

Without saying anything, he grabbed her hand and kissed it. Kahlan sighed in relief, he wasn't mad at her for being here. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, pushing her body against his in attempt to give him some warmth.

"Let's get you inside. I'm not going to let you freeze to death." She whispered to him in the ear.

As he didn't move, she got up and grabbed his arm, trying to push him up.

"Come on, Richard." She said.

He finally got up, grabbing his bag pack, he followed her inside.

"Lead us to the room that had been readied for the Seeker." Kahlan ordered to a guard.

"Yes, Mother Confessor." He replied.

When they entered the room, Richard sat on the bed. He looked exhausted and terribly sad. Kahlan knew that she shouldn't stay in the room for too long. As much as she wanted to get close to him, she knew none of them could handle another heartbreaking goodbye.

"Try to get some rest. Tomorrow breakfast will be brought to your room, I want you to eat. You promised me to stay safe, start by taking care of yourself." She said, a bit more coldly than she intended to.

She walked close to him and kissed his forehead, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head against her stomach.

The realization of what he just did hit him and he let her go.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. "Goodnight Kahlan."

"Goodnight Richard." She told him before leaving the room.

When she closed the door of Richard's room behind her, Kahlan rested her forehead against it and sighed.

"I love you." She whispered.

"Mother Confessor." Kahlan jumped when she heard Sylvia's voice.

She cleared her throat and said: "Yes Sylvia?"

"Hot tea had been brought to your room. It will help you relax and get some sleep." The maid told her.

"Thank you. You should get some sleep too, it's already really late." She said.

"Goodnight, Mother Confessor." Sylvia said with a small nod.

Kahlan nodded in return and walked back to her room, hot tea would be a good idea, but she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep.

Taking off her coat, she threw it on a chair before stripping off of her clothes to wear her new favorite outfit: Richard's shirt.

She poured some tea in the cup and drank it slowly. She wondered what Richard was doing. Maybe he was drinking tea too, or already sleeping. Was he thinking about her as much as she was thinking about him? She was feeling sleepy suddenly and her headache was almost gone. What was in this tea? She sighed, put her cup back on the tray and went to bed, thinking about Richard, and how, if things were different, he could share this bed with her.

In Richard's room, Sylvia knocked on the door and came in.

"Seeker." She said, bowing in front of him.

"You can call me Richard." He said, starring at the fireplace.

"Do you need anything, Richard?" The maid asked.

"She has nightmares." He said abruptly, not taking his eyes away from the fire. "Will you make sure that she is alright?" He asked, finally looking up at the woman in the room.

"I gave her a strong tea that will help her to get some rest. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do against the nightmares." She said.

Richard nodded and asked: "How long have you known her?"

He wasn't in the mood for conversation, but he needed to know that people here were good and that they loved Kahlan, that they would keep her safe.

"I was here the day she was born." Sylvia simply said.

Suddenly, he wanted to know more about Kahlan back when she was just a little girl. They never really talked about her childhood, well, it was never about the happy times anyway.

"I took take of her and Dennee when they were in the palace." She added.

"It's good to know that she has someone that she knows here." He told her.

"It's good to know that someone took care of her when she was away." Sylvia replied with a smile.

"She's dying to take a hot bath with lavender and candles." Richard said.

"Well, I'll arrange that for tomorrow." Sylvia said.

"Also, she got hurt in a fight a couple of days ago, could you send a healer to make sure she fully recovered?" He asked.

"Is there anything else?" The maid asked.

"Tell her that I lo-..." He started but stopped. Sylvia waited for him to finish his sentence.

"Just let her know that I'm grateful for the Mother Confessor to let me stay here." He said.

Sylvia nodded and told him good night before leaving the room.

Richard lied on the bed on his back, fixing the ceiling. He was wondering what Kahlan was doing. She was probably sleeping, Sylvia said the tea would help her rest. He just hoped she wouldn't have nightmares. He hated the fact that she would wake up alone and scared with no one to tell her that it was just a bad dream. He hated that he couldn't be with her and hold her. He sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes. He was tired but he couldn't manage to close his eyes and sleep. Sighing again, he decided to get up, visiting the palace seemed to him to be a better idea than to stay in his room. He could check on the Palace's defense, make sure that Kahlan would be safe.

Getting out of the room, he found Sylvia in the hallway.

"It didn't take you too long to get out of this room Richard." She said with a smile.

"I just thought I could take a tour of the palace before sleeping." Richard explained.

"It's quite late to be taking a tour." Sylvia said.

"I don't think that I'm going to be able to sleep." He said with a shrug.

"Well, I suggest you follow me in that case." The maid told him.


	13. Chapter 13

Thank you so so so much for the nice reviews from last chapter! I'm glad that some of you are reading these words I put down (often poorly). As a thank you, I decided to write my a** off and update as soon as I could. Thank you again! Can't wait for your next comments!

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When Kahlan woke up, she didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to have to face the day but most of all, she was feeling good, warm and relaxed in her bed. She remembered that the last time she slept so well was when she and Richard shared a bed in a tavern in Tractan.

Richard. She sighed and reluctantly opened her eyes. Lying on her side, she was facing the window but when her eyes travelled on the mattress, she saw an arm. His arm. It was slipped under her neck and she soon realized that his other arm was resting on her waist.

As much as she liked this feeling, she was in Aydindrill, in the palace, she was the Mother Confessor and Spirits only knew what could happen if a man was caught in her room if he wasn't her mate.

"Richard!" She said, sitting up.

Waking up with a start, the Seeker sat up as well.

"What?" He exclaimed before realizing where he was.

"You cannot be here." She said, not looking at him.

He quickly got up and said: "I'm sorry." He quickly grabbed his shirt on a chair on top of Kahlan's Confessor dress. That's when she realized that he was only wearing his pants. She allowed her eyes to wander on his perfectly fit body, wishing her hands could enjoy the warmth of his skin.

She quit her day dreaming when she noticed he was walking to the door of her room.

"Richard, stop!" She exclaimed, rushing off her bed to chase after him.

He turned to her, his shirt and boots in his hands.

"You can't leave. Someone might see you." She exclaimed. "Why did you even get here in the first place?" She asked coldly.

"I couldn't sleep and your nightmares... I didn't want it to come back." He explained with a sad tone.

"Thank you." She whispered. "I'm sorry I reacted that way. It's just that you could get in so many troubles for being here. I told the guards not to let you in my quarters." She explained.

"Why?" He asked.

"I was scared that you would come here and that I would never be able to let you leave this place... that we would... huh... and that you... would be... confessed." She explained.

"You should go back to bed." He told her, understanding what she meant.

When she didn't move, he added: "I asked Sylvia to send for a healer and told her you would love a hot bath. Just wait for her in bed, you should rest more."

She was staring at him but lost in her thoughts.

"Kahlan?" He asked softly. "Kahlan?" He tried again, taking her hand in his.

"Hmm?" She mumbled, coming back to reality.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and smiled.

"What is it?" He asked again, coming closer to her and cupping her cheeks.

"I want to be weak." She said, smiling again.

He smiled back at her and she added: "I want to be weak and kiss you."

Richard smiled even more and gave her a small kiss on the lips and he whispered: "You can never be weak Kahlan Amnell, you can only be yourself."

She closed her eyes and nodded, wishing he would kiss her again. She felt his fingers brushing a strand of hair out of her face and then she felt his lips on her forehead.

"We are slipping." She said with her eyes still closed.

"I know." He replied, kissing the top of her head and pulling her close to him into a hug. She instinctually wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest, inhaling his scent, enjoying the warmth of his body and listening to his heart beating.

"I don't want to have to say goodbye to you again." She mumbled.

"Then I'll leave without saying goodbye." He replied.

"Stay." She blurted out.

He chuckled and said: "You know that I can't Kahlan, you've been trying to convince me to continue my quest for days now."

"It's my moment of weakness, I can beg you to stay." She told him, pressing her body against him even tighter.

"Don't leave me. I can't do it without you, I'm not strong enough." She whispered. "Please, please, please stay." She added before kissing his chest above his heart.

A knock on the door interrupted their moment. Kahlan groaned and reluctantly pulled away from Richard.

"I guess my moment of weakness is over." She said.

"I guess it is." Richard replied sadly, brushing a strand of hair being her ear.

"You have to hide, you can't be here." Kahlan told him.

"Hide? Are you serious?" He asked.

"Richard, I'm the Mother Confessor, I'm young and I haven't a mate yet, you being here is like dishonoring my virtue." She explained. "You could be executed. It's the law." She added on a stern tone.

"You are the law." Richard replied.

"Can we talk about this later? Just go and hide, please." She said.

Richard sighed but hid in the closet that Kahlan was pointing to him.

"Yes." She said, in reply to the knock at the door.

Sylvia opened the door and came in with a tray in her hands. It was breakfast. Kahlan noticed that the tray held two cups when the maid put it on the table.

"Good morning Mother Confessor." Sylvia said, bowing in front of Kahlan.

"Good morning." She replied.

"Richard requested a hot bath and a healer for you Mother Confessor. The hot water is ready and the healer should be on his way." The maid explained.

Kahlan nodded and Sylvia continued: "The council is eager to see you, so is Prince Travis."

"Prince Travis?" Kahlan asked.

"He is here, he says that he has an important request and he wants to talk to you before you see the council." Sylvia explained.

Kahlan nodded, allowing Sylvia to continue: "Also, it seems that The Seeker is still sleeping in his room because he's not answering his door."

Kahlan's heart started to race but managed to keep her Confessor face.

"I suggest that we should let him sleep." Sylvia added before Kahlan could come up with any good lie.

"Yes, it's a wise choice." Kahlan replied, not really knowing what to say.

"Mother Confessor, you should have asked for a nightdress" Sylvia stated. "You are wearing a man's shirt."

Kahlan couldn't help but blush. She had totally forgotten that she had chosen to wear Richard's shirt for the night.

"I find it to be more comfortable." Kahlan tried.

"Very well, Mother Confessor." Sylvia said. "If you don't need me, I can order for the water to be brought here for your bath."

"Alright, but make it quick." Kahlan said even if she hated to use that tone and be so cold.

Sylvia bowed and left the room but more maids were waiting behind the doors with water to fill in the tub that was in Kahlan's room.

Once they were done preparing the bath, Kahlan closed the door behind the last of them and locked it.

"Breakfast's ready Richard." She called.

Quickly getting out of the closet, he looked at her and smiled.

"What makes you smile like that?" Kahlan asked.

"I don't know, maybe the fact that it's wise to let the Seeker sleep or maybe it's that you find my shirt more comfortable." He replied.

"You are the one making me lie, do not laugh at me Seeker or I'll call the guards and they'll throw you in the cells with rats." She told him, trying not to grin.

"Alright, no making fun of the Mother Confessor. I beg your pardon Mother Confessor." He said, bowing exaggeratedly in front of her.

She sighed in fake exasperation and turned away: "I'm going to take my bath before the water turns cold."

"I can't join you, can't I?" He asked, well knowing her answer but wanting to tease her a little more.

"I wish you could." She told him with a smile before setting the folding screen next to the tub so Richard would only see her head.

"So, who is this Prince Travis that wants to see you?" Richard asked, hoping to sound curious and not jealous.

Kahlan smiled as she undressed behind the screen. "He's an old friend I grew up with. He probably just wants to say hello."

"His request sounded urgent." Richard said, sitting on the bed, watching her shadow dance on the screen.

"It feels so good." Kahlan said as she entered the water.

"I'm glad one of us is enjoying the situation." Richard said with a smile.

Kahlan smiled back at him and said: "Thank you for asking Sylvia for this hot bath."

"You are welcome." He replied.

Kahlan lied in the tub, closing her eyes, she sighed in contentment.

"I could rub your back you know." Richard proposed.

Kahlan smiled but kept her eyes closed and said: "Hmm, very tempting."

There was a long silent and Kahlan heard Richard growled.

"What is it?" She asked, opening her eyes to look at him. He was now lying on her bed, on his back, his feet touching the ground.

"You are terribly naked and terribly close to me, it's driving me crazy." He explained without looking at her.

Kahlan couldn't help but smiled, she closed her eyes again, enjoying the warmth of her bath. She intended to relax before she had to meet with the council, this day would be long and Richard could leave at any moment. All she wanted was to feel good and enjoy his presence as long as she could.

Lost in her thoughts, she jumped when she felt his lips on hers, her mind wanted to object but her heart made her wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closed to her. She let out a soft moan when their tongues collided. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the moment, she knew that if she opened them, reality would hit her and it meant leaving the man she loved.

She heard his hand plunging into the hot water and gasped when she felt him caressing her side. She had forgotten how very naked she was.

As he was still stripped from the waist, she let her hands roam on his chest, making him moan in return. His hand was now drawing circles on her stomach, going higher until it finally stopped and rested above her breast.

Kahlan moan and felt her power trying to take the best of her. She grasped the side of the tub for support, trying to push down her magic. She didn't want this moment to end, she knew she had to control her power to make it last.


	14. Chapter 14

New chapter is up, I really hope you'll like it. As always, please come say hi and let me know what you think, all suggestions or criticisms are welcome!

* * *

"Kahlan." She heard Richard call gently.

So lost in her inner battle, she didn't realized that they weren't kissing anymore.

"Kahlan, my love, your lip is bleeding." Richard said.

She pressed her fingers to her mouth and saw the blood when she looked at it.

"Oh..." Was all she could say. She had tried to restrain her powers so hard that she had to bite her lip to do so.

Richard shook his head and said: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

"I shouldn't even be here, coming here, it was a mistake." He said as tears pooled in his eyes.

"Look what I've done to you, you are bleeding and shaking like a leaf. I can't... I can't love you like this anymore. I can't pretend that your power isn't between us when it is." He continued.

"I love you with all my heart and soul, but I can't hurt you anymore." He finished, giving her a kiss on the forehead and getting up.

"Finish your bath, I'm going to get dress and go back to my room." He said.

"Stay." She pleaded.

"I have to go. It's what's best for you." He said before walking to her bed to gather his clothes and shoes.

Coming back to her senses, Kahlan got out of the tub and quickly wrapped a towel around her. She walked towards Richard and sat on the bed next to him.

As he was busy lacing his boots, she put a hand on his tight in order to stop him.

"Don't..." He sharply said.

"Don't be mad at me please." She whispered, still shocked of having to hold onto her powers and what Richard had told her.

"Spirits Kahlan, I'm not mad at you." He almost yelled, getting up.

"I'm mad at everything. I'm mad because I love you so much that I have to leave you." He added on the same tone.

She looked down and whispered: "It's not your fault."

"Don't you see Kahlan? Don't you see it's my fault? Because every time we get close I can't keep my hands to myself, because the urge to feel you against me is harder to control that the anger of the Sword of Truth." He said.

"Your greatest fear is for me to lose my soul, I know how much it would hurt you if I was confessed to you. I don't want to hurt you and by staying here with you, it's all I'm doing." He explained.

He took his shirt and put it on and stood in front of her looking at her. She was still looking down and crying silently. He had to fight the urge to hold her in his arms. He had to be strong, he had to leave her.

"Maybe our paths will cross again some day." He said.

Kahlan was completely lost. Her heart was ordering her to throw herself at him and plead him to stay with her, but where would that lead them? Taking him as a mate, or for him to watch her take a mate? Her reason was telling her that he was giving them a way out. A way where she would be heart broken until the last day of her life but a way where Richard would have a chance to start over and have a life and where she could continue the line of Confessors.

She took a deep breath and straightened up. She looked at him in the eyes and said: "I'm sure I'll hear great stories about the Seeker."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Without a word, Richard went back to hiding in her closet.

Kahlan sighed and walked to the door.

"Who is this?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

"Pardon me, Mother Confessor, but Prince Travis is insisting on seeing you right away." She heard Sylvia said.

"Fine." She said with a sigh. The last thing she wanted was to talk to people, but being the Mother Confessor was her priority now.

"I'll be ready to see him in a few minutes." She said, grabbing her Confessor dress from the nearby chair. She quickly walked behind the folding screen and put it on. Then she walked back to the door and opened it.

"Prince Travis may come in now." She indicated to Sylvia, who nodded and bowed in return.

Walking back in the middle of her room, she waited, crossing her hands.

"Mother Confessor." Said the tall man when he entered her room. He walked in front of her and bended on one knee and looked down.

"Thank you for giving me this private audience." He said.

"You may get up Prince Travis." Kahlan told him.

When he rose from the floor, he looked at Kahlan right in the eyes. His deep blue eyes as piercing as hers. He was tall, young and handsome. It seemed that his blond hair was shinning despite the lack of sun in the room.

"It's good to see you again, Mother Confessor." He told her with a charming smile.

"We've known each other for a very long time, you can call me Kahlan." She told him.

"Very well, but only if you call me Tim in return." He said, smiling at her.

"Very well Tim, what's so urgent that you needed to talk to me?" Kahlan asked.

Bending on one knee once again, he said: "I, Prince Timothy Travis, am proposing myself to conceive the next line of Confessors."

Kahlan's jaw dropped.

"What is wrong with you?" Kahlan asked.

Getting up, Tim explained: "My father died Kahlan and I'll be crowned King soon, I want to make a radical change in the way my country used to cooperate with the Midlands."

"Cooperate? We are always at war with Primtica." Kahlan exclaimed.

"Exactly, that's why I came here, to offer peace. You know why I ran away from my father when I was just a boy, I'm not the tyrant he was." Tim replied.

"Do you remember what my touch can do to you? Are you aware that you will become my slave until the day I die?" Kahlan asked.

"Yes, we were almost raised together Kahlan, I know everything about your powers, but it's my duty, as King to protect my people and stop this war. The better way to unsure them that we are at peace with the Midlands is if you take me as a mate." He explained.

"And they'll lose their King." Kahlan said.

"No, they won't, you'll just order me to rule my country, I'll be their King and our daughter will be the Princess of Primtica." He said with a hopeful look.

Kahlan sighed and rubbed her temples, her headache was coming back.

Tim came close to her and said: "Come on Kahlan, I know you... You don't want to confess someone against its will, so choose me. I am willing to be confessed, I trust you, and I want to stop this awful war."

Kahlan closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about the situation. Tim had come up with a good plan, she was always reluctant at confessing people but he said himself that it was his duty. Plus, in the closet, Richard had probably heard everything and choosing Tim as a mate would separate their paths for good.

She opened her eyes and said: "Alright. I'll take you as a mate. For your people and for mine."

Tim smiled and said: "Thank you Kahlan, today is the day we start to save innocent's lives."

Kahlan nodded and indicated the door of her room to her soon to be mate. Tim nodded in return and she said: "Please, let the Council know about my decision."

Walking to the door, Tim asked: "Aren't you going to the afternoon session?"

"No, I'd rather rest for the moment, I'll be seeing them soon enough." She explained.

Kahlan opened the door and the two guards bowed in front of her.

"Please, escort Prince Travis to the room of his choice." She said.

"I'll be seeing you tonight then." Tim told her with a smile.

Kahlan nodded, she walked back in her room and closed the door. Leaning against it, she let herself fall on the floor. For a minute, she had forgotten that Richard was in the room, she quickly got up when she heard his footsteps approaching.

Clearing her throat, she found the strength to look at him in the eyes. They stood silent for a long moment, just looking in each other's eyes.

"I'm glad it's someone you know." Richard finally broke the silence.

Kahlan looked down, ashamed of herself.

"We met in Thandor, back when I was living with the Sisters of the Light." She explained.

There was another long silence and Richard said: "It's settled then, I should leave now."

Kahlan heart broke in two, she clenched her jaw to prevent tears from falling on her face.

"Yes, I send the two guards away so you can leave without being seen." She told him, trying to calm herself, she kept repeating in her mind to breath. She imagined herself begging at his feet to stay with her but she just stepped away from the door, knowing she had to let him go.

"No goodbyes." He said.

"No goodbyes." She repeated.

Richard wanted to kiss her goodbye and tell her that he would love her no matter what happened, but he couldn't. She had been right from the beginning, their love could never be, it was hopeless. He couldn't be selfish and ask her to forget about her duty just to be with him when she would have to fight against her own powers constantly, just because he wanted to be close to her.

He kissed her on the forehead, lightly brushing his lips against her skin. She closed her eyes, enjoying one last time the warmth of his body, inhaling his scent, trying to memorize it and hoping she would never forget what is was like to be close to him. She fought the need to wrap her arms around him but instead, she clenched her fists.

Without saying a word, Richard left the room and closed the door behind him. Kahlan stood still. She didn't want to open her eyes because if she did, he would be really gone. Tears slid past her closed eyes but she didn't bother wiping them away.

She jumped when she heard a knock on the door. Walking to the door, she prayed to the good Spirits that it was Richard coming back to her.

When she opened the door, she saw Sylvia. The maid noticed her tears but said nothing to the Mother Confessor.

"I beg your pardon, Mother Confessor, I am bothering you a lot today." The maid apologized.

"What is it?" Kahlan asked rather disappointed and angry.

"The healer that the Seeker requested for you just arrived and our scouts reported that the First Wizzard Zeddicus Zul' Zorrander accompanied by a Mord'Sith will be here soon." Sylvia said.

"I don't care. I don't want to see anyone. I just want to be left alone." Kahlan sharply said.

"As you order, Mother Confessor. Is there anything I can do for you?" The maid asked.

"Stop bothering me. I'll let you know if I need you." Kahlan said.

"Very well Mother Confessor." Sylvia said before bowing in front of Kahlan.

Kahlan nodded and closed the door of her room. She closed the curtains from the windows and lied down on her bed. Anguish from her betrayal was overwhelming her, the pain from her separation with Richard was killing her. Her migraine was stronger than ever, she guessed that it was pay back from her betrayal. She promised to herself that she would be weak for the day, but then it would be over. She would step up and embrace her destiny as the Mother Confessor. She would put her emotions aside and act like the leader she was destined to be. No more crying, no more pain, just her duty. The next time she will leave this room, Kahlan Amnell will be gone, the Mother Confessor will take her place.


	15. Chapter 15

So, here's the new chapter... I don't know how many more I will add to this story because this isn't really good writting (as you'll see below).

Anyway, to all the writers out there, please update or write more (if anyone read this)! We need our R+K fics!

As always, you are welcome to let me know what you think or just say hi!

* * *

Richard was sitting against a tree in one of the many Palace's gardens, except that from this one, he could see the windows of Kahlan's room. The sun was almost setting down, he had spent the day hiding here. He knew that Zedd and Cara had arrived but he just wanted to be alone. He could feel the agitation of the Palace, people dressed like Kings and Queens kept coming from the city.

"There you are." Sylvia called for him, taking him out of his day dream.

He looked up at her and she said: "Your friends are here."

Richard nodded, and gave quick glance to Kahlan's room before getting up.

"You're just looking as sad as the Mother Confessor." Sylvia commented.

"As much as I appreciate you helping me sneaking into her room last night, I'm afraid it was a terrible idea." Richard replied with a sigh.

"When it comes to love, it can never be a terrible idea." She told him with a smile while she began walking towards the entrance of the palace.

Richard bitterly laughed and said as he followed her inside: "This doesn't apply when Confessor's powers are in between."

"You'll find your way." Sylvia said.

"I'm afraid it's too late, she's chosen her mate, Prince Travis." He explained bitterly.

"For what it's worth, the whole palace was rooting for you." Sylvia said. "The love you two share is quite powerful." She added as they reached the heavy doors of the palace.

"Not as powerful as her powers. She's refusing to confess me." He said.

"The Seeker of Truth cannot be confessed and you surely don't have to be confessed to love her." Sylvia said.

Richard sighed and said: "I wish it was that simple."

"My boy! Finally!" They heard Zedd said before Sylvia could add anything else.

"Zedd! Cara! It's good to see you." Richard said trying to smile.

"You look like you've seen the Keeper himself." Cara stated.

"Thank you Cara, you look good as well." Richard reply, ignoring her comment.

"Will you be all joining us for tonight festivities?" Sylvia asked.

"We sure will!" Zedd exclaimed. "What are we celebrating?" He asked then.

Sylvia cleared her throat and said: "The Mother Confessor has chosen a mate. Prince Travis."

"Oh..." Cara said, looking at Richard.

Richard looked at Zedd and asked: "Why not enjoy a nice meal huh Zedd?"

"Richard..." Zedd started but stopped when his grand son walked away.

"Well, that was quite impolite." He said.

"Give him a break, he just lost the love of his life." Cara said, elbowing the Wizard.

"Where's Kahlan by the way? Can we see her?" Zedd asked.

"I'm afraid not. She asked not to be disturbed." The maid replied with a sad smile.

"She's probably mopping the floor of her room with her tears." Cara snorted. Then the attitude of the Mord'Sith changed and she looked at Sylvia straight in the eyes and said: "I want to see her."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." The maid replied.

Cara took a step closed to the maid as her hand reached for her agiel.

"Cara!" Called Zedd before the woman in red could start menacing the woman facing her.

"What is it Wizard? I just want to make sure that the Mother Confessor is safe." Cara replied.

"She is safe, she's just coping with her loss." Sylvia said sadly.

Cara just wanted to talk to Kahlan. She didn't really know what to say, she liked to pretend that she didn't understand what Kahlan and Richard shared, but when she was thinking about Leo, she knew what it was like to loose someone you love.

"I'll judge by myself if she is safe or not." The Mord'Sith stated, leaving Zedd and Sylvia alone.

When Cara entered the Mother Confessor's room, finding her way by threatening many people in the palace, she found Kahlan standing in front of the fire place. The Mother Confessor was lost in her thoughts, looking at the flames without really seeing it.

"Nice place you have here." Cara commented looking around her.

Kahlan sighed and not leaving her eyes from the fire, she asked: "How did you get here?"

"The power of the agiel." Cara replied simply with a shrug.

Kahlan rubbed her temples and asked: "What do you want Cara?"

"I just wanted to know that you're safe." The Mord'Sith replied.

"I am, you can leave now." Kahlan replied.

"No... I think I'm gonna stay, get some rest before the big party." Cara said with a smile before sitting on a chair.

"Thank you for coming here Cara but I'd really appreciate some peace and quiet right now." Kahlan explained.

"You will have to get out of that room eventually you know… Face Richard." Cara told her.

Kahlan sighed again, her supposed friend was really getting on her nerves.

"He's not going to give up on you just like that. He's not going to forget everything you shared because you're taking a mate and-." Cara added.

"How do you do it?" Kahlan cut her off.

Cara raised an eyebrow, she didn't know where Kahlan was going with this question, she chose to remain silent and wait for the Mother Confessor to make her point.

"How do you block the feelings? The pain, the guilt, the love? How do you make them disappear?" Kahlan asked, turning for the first time to look at Cara.

"I could always train you to become a Mord'Sith, although you might be too old for that." Cara said, trying miserably to lighten the mood.

"My emotions make me nauseous and this headache... I... I can't stand it anymore. I want it to go away, all of it." Kahlan said sadly.

"Then suck it up Kahlan! You've made a decision, deal with it. I am a Mord'Sith and I killed people, they hate me because I tortured their family so what, it's who I am and who I was trained to be. Just like you." Cara explained.

"I don't kill people." Kahlan muttered.

"You confess them! What's the difference? You were trained to be a Confessor and now you have to be the Mother Confessor, it's time you act like it." Cara stated.

"I guess you are right." Kahlan said sadly looking down.

After a short silence, Kahlan asked: "Have you seen Richard?"

"Yes. He looked like crap." Cara replied.

"And aren't you supposed to protect him instead of being here?" Kahlan asked in attempt to get rid of the Mord'Sith.

"He's so angry that he could cut me in half for no reason. You should have heard how he spoke to Zedd." Cara explained.

Kahlan walked to her windows and opened the curtain, it was already dark outside.

She sighed and said: "It's time."

"Time for what?" Cara asked.

"I have to get out of this room and attend to the banquet made in my honor." She explained.

"Because you chose to be the Mother Confessor." Cara said.

"Because I chose a mate." Kahlan replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready."

Cara nodded and got up from her chair.

"You are strong Kahlan, you'll get through this." The Mord'Sith said before leaving the room.

When Kahlan arrived in front of the dinning hall closed's doors, she stopped before the guards opened it for her. Sylvia had told her that everyone was waiting inside for her. Everyone was waiting for the Mother Confessor. Every eye would be fixing her, Richard's too.

She made a few steps back and turned left in another hallway so no one could see her. The Palace was empty, everyone was either waiting in the dinning hall for the banquet to start or preparing it.

She pressed her back against a wall and closed her eyes. Panic took the best of her and her breathing became panting. She would never be able to sit next to her soon to be mate, Prince Timothy Travis with Richard standing just steps away. How could she enjoy this evening or even pretend to enjoy it when her body and mind ached for the Seeker of Truth? And this headache... she felt like her head was ready to explode. She felt her tears rolling down her face, she was trying to be brave and strong but she just couldn't.

She focused on trying to get her normal breath back, resting her hand on her chest above her heart, trying to calm its quick pounding.

"I wish I could just ignore you and leave you alone, but seeing you like this it's killing me." She heard him whisper in her ear, sending shivers all over her body. She kept her eyes closed and felt his hand resting above hers on her chest.

Her heart started to race again, she bit her lower lip and forced herself to breath normally.

"Calm down." He whispered to her again. "It's okay, you can do it." He added.

She nodded and tried her best to calm herself.

After a moment, when she was breathing normally, he took his hand away from hers and she finally opened her eyes.

"Thank you." She whispered. She dried her tears with the back of her hand and took a huge breath.

"If you want to forget, there is a way." She told him in a whisper.

Gathering all her strengths, she looked up and him and said: "Timothy, he has powers, he's a Wizard, he can make you forget about me, what we have."

"And what exactly do we have?" He asked sternly. He didn't mean to use this tone but how could she ask him if he wanted to forget her?

"Love." She simply replied, looking down. He felt good hearing this word in her mouth, relived that she shared the same feelings once again. He needed the insurance that she loved him.

"Do you want to forget?" He asked.

He waited for her answer but when he got none, he hissed: "Do you Kahlan?"

His tone startled her. She shook her head no and he told her: "Then don't expect me to want to forget either."

He sighed and said: "I'm so lost Kahlan. My head gets it all, your duty, your power, my duty but my heart... my heart doesn't want to get it. My head says it's best to stay away from you but my heart just wants to hold you forever."

"I'm so sorry for putting you through all this." She told him.

"The worst part is seeing you suffering, struggling and crying..." He added, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against hers.

She wrapped both of her hands around his neck and repeated: "I'm sorry."

They both closed their eyes and stood silent for a moment. Richard knew he had to leave, staying this close to her was too hard when all he wanted to do was to kiss her and take her far away from Aydindrill.

Planting a soft kiss on her forehead, he said: "Now, I believe you have a banquet to attend to, Mother Confessor." And with that he walked away, entering the dinning room and leaving her alone, completely taken aback by what just happened between them.


	16. Chapter 16

Hi all! New chapter! I'm still wondering how this is gonna end up... happily ever after or not but I'm working on it!

I hope you enjoy this new chapter, come say hi at the end, as usual all comments are more than welcome!

* * *

When Kahlan entered the huge dinning room, everyone got up from their chairs. The room was crowded, all the council was attending to the dinner and there was also other people Kahlan didn't know but who looked like notables from the Midlands. The table was as long as the room and Kahlan's place was in the middle, her chair, different and more imposing than the others, was empty and placed next to Prince Travis.

As she walked to sit down, everyone was starring at her. She kept her head high, looking at Timothy. She had spotted Zedd next to him but kept her focus on the Prince, wanting to avoid Richard's eyes. She was trying to be brave and strong and seeing him looking at her wouldn't help her to keep her Confessor mask on her face.

When she sat down, she nodded, indicating to her guests to sit as well.

"You look beautiful tonight." Timothy whispered in her ear.

She nodded as he got up with his glass in hand. The room went quiet.

"I would like to raise my glass to the Mother Confessor, protector of the Midlands. May our union bring peace and prosperity to us all." He exclaimed.

A few people clapped their hands, except Kahlan and he added : "Let's also raise our glasses to our guest of honor tonight, Richard Cypher, Seeker Of Truth. May you keep on protecting the Midlands and defeat the Keeper."

More people clapped and Richard nodded his head to thank him.

Then it was the turn to an old looking man, he was head of the council. He got up and said: "Tonight we celebrate the next line of Confessor. Tonight the Mother Confessor, the last of her kind and Prince Travis will sire the next Confessor. It's a great night for the Midlands."

Everyone clapped and cheered at the announcement.

For the first time since she had entered the room, Kahlan looked at Richard, he was sitting on her left, at the other side of the table. When their gazes met, she immediately looked down, swallowing her tears.

"Are you alright?" Tim asked her, taking her hand in his.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little under the weather I guess." She quickly replied.

"Try to eat something. It'll make you feel better." Tim told her with a smile. She nodded with a small smile and freed her hand from his grasp.

At the other side of the table, Zedd leaned over Richard and said: "Let the Sword of Truth go Richard. Anger is the worst ally to jealousy."

Richard was starring at Kahlan, the Sword of Truth pressed tightly under his palm. He wanted to run that Prince through with his sword. How did he dare touch her? All that he was hoping is that Tim would raise a hand too high or touch his sword so he could slice his body in small pieces. Then Richard thought that soon he would kiss her and worst, he would make love to her. His breathing accelerated and he tightened his hold on his sword as well, his knuckles becoming white.

"Richard! Calm down my boy. Let the sword go." Zedd repeated.

"I will kill him." He said thought gritted teeth.

"I'll help you." Cara told him.

"Do I need to remind you that he's just an innocent man? Kahlan is making of her duty a priority, that's no reason to hate the man." Zedd said.

Even though she couldn't hear them because they were whispering, Kahlan noticed their agitation. She saw Richard starring at Tim, he looked furious and then he looked at her and once again, she avoided his eyes.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Richard asked Zedd.

"I warned you many times Richard, the love between you and your Confessor can never be." The old Wizard replied.

"You really don't get it do you? How much I love her?" Richard asked bitterly, shaking his head and getting up. Everyone stopped and starred at him.

"Will the Mother Confessor excuse me?" He asked.

She looked at him, searching in his eyes for the reason of his sudden outburst. When all she saw was anger and hatred, she shivered and nodded at him, clenching her jaw in attempt not to cry. He left the room without saying a word, slamming the door closed behind him. People at the table went back to their conversations and Kahlan looked at Cara, silently asking her for an explanation and the Mord'Sith pointed at Tim in answer.

Kahlan sighed and Tim asked her: "What has gotten into him?"

"I don't know." She lied.

"You seem nervous Kahlan." Tim told her, once again taking her hand in his.

"I'm just tired." She replied quietly.

"I know that your duty is heavy and demanding, I also know that everything is foreign and new to you... All of it, especially what's going to happen tonight, but you don't have to worry, I'll be there every step of the way." He told her.

Kahlan almost gagged on his words. The very idea of spending the night with him made her sick. She was wondering how he could act like they were a couple, take her hand and whispering in her ear. Sure they knew each others before but they were just kids, now everything we different, yet he acted like they were close.

For a moment, she thought that Richard would come back, but as time went by and as different meals were brought to the table without her eating any of them, her hope of seeing him again diminished. While Tim and Zedd were chatting together, she didn't find the strength to participate to their conversation. She could have talked with Cara, but the Mord'Sith had left as well, probably to check on Richard. When she looked around her, she realized that everyone was enjoy dinner, people chatted and smiled, laughed sometimes, but she didn't. It felt like she didn't belong.

She finally got up and said: "Thank you all for coming."

"Go get some rest, I'll see you later." Tim told her, holding her hand once again.

She reluctantly nodded and left the dinning room. She needed air, fresh air.

Walking in a garden of the Palace, she saw Richard, he was staring at a pound even if there was nothing to see because it was already dark, only the light of the moon would allow to see the path ahead. Kahlan froze in her tracks, it didn't seem like he's noticed her. As always, she found him very handsome, she smiled despite the sadness of their situation. Her eyes traveled on his body and her smile left her face when she saw him holding his sword tightly, draining its anger. She slowly walked next to him and put her hand over his.

"I want to kill him." He told her with his jaw clenched.

"I keep hoping that he would do something bad so I could run my sword through him or slice his throat." He added, still staring at the pond before him.

Kahlan's thumb was stroking the back of his hand, trying to calm him so he would stop using the anger of the sword to feed his own hatred.

"But he keeps being nice to you, talking in your ear, holding your hand. The nicer he is, the more I want to rip his head off." Richard continued.

Kahlan brought her other hand to his back and whispered his name. Richard closed his eyes and she slowly removed his hand from holding the sword.

"Aren't you supposed to be with him?" He asked with a sad tone and finally looking into her eyes.

She looked down and said: "I just needed some fresh air."

There was a long silence when Kahlan kept looking at her feet and Richard was waiting for her to look at him. When she finally looked up she opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind. She smiled at him and said: "Goodnight Richard." And with that, she turned away, not sure where to go, maybe she would walk in the garden all night long.

"Kahlan wait!" Richard called her.

She turned to face him, trying her best to smile and he asked: "Is there something you wanted to tell me, something on your mind you wanted to talk about?"

"No, I just wanted to say goodnight." She lied.

"Come on Kahlan bad liar Amnell, I know you better than that." He told her playfully, trying to lighten the mood. Plus, the more he kept her in the garden, the later she will be in her room with her mate.

She sighed and took at step toward him, she found the strength to look at him and said: "You have a pure heart Richard and you couldn't hurt an innocent man. This anger that you have against Tim, I know it's not directed at him. You may deny it but, this anger and hatred, it's how you feel about me. I am the one betraying you. I am the one you hate."

"Kahlan, no... no, I could never hate you. I know it's your duty and..." He started but she cut him off and said: "But I choose my duty over you... it's okay Richard, it's okay to hate me."

She ran a hand through his hair and repeated: "It's okay."

She gave him a sad smile and said: "Goodnight."

Once again, she turned away and he explained: "I don't hate you... I'm just mad at you. Even if I said I wasn't before, you are right, you choose your duty over me and I'm mad at you."

"Like I said, it's okay." She said without turning to him.

"If you choose your duty over me, then why are you here?" He asked.

"I needed fresh air." She said, still not facing him as tears streamed down her face.

"Stop lying to me and look at me!" He shouted angrily.

She jumped at his tone and she finally faced him, looking in his teary eyes.

"Why are you here Kahlan? Do you enjoy torturing me? Or did you come to see what you've made of me?" He asked in a strangled voice.

"The reason why I'm not inside the Palace is the last thing you want to talk about, trust me." She snorted.

"Try me." He darted.

"I'm scared alright!" She admitted.

He chuckled and said: "That was easy."

He was now mocking her and it was all she deserved, he had every right to be mad at her and to mock her and somehow she was glad that he did. Fresh tears streamed down her face and she explained : "Ever since I met you, I secretly hoped that you would be the first... my first... I prayed to the good Spirits that one day I would be able to tell my daughters that they were created out of love, not out of duty. Now I have to be in this room, with someone I barely know. Many nights I dreamt about my first night... our first night. I knew that it would be okay, that I wouldn't have to be scared because it was you, a man who cared for me, who would be gentle and loving."

She blushed at her confession and added: "So I'm here because I'm hanging onto my dream of our first night, I need to find the strength to let it go... to let you go."

"Kahlan?" They heard someone calling from the Palace.

That was it, Tim was looking for her, she was running out of time. She took Richard's hand and said: "I love you. You may not believe it anymore, but I love you with all my heart and soul and I always will."

She smiled at him as she kept on crying.

"Kahlan?" They heard again making her close her eyes and sigh.

She could hear the rage coming back to him in his frantic breathing. She felt him intertwined their fingers as he pressed his body against her.

"I love you. I'm mad but despite all this, I love you." He whispered.

She nodded and he kissed her cheek and whispered: "Our first night would have been perfect, I'm sorry I couldn't make it happen."

"Kahlan, finally!" Tim said as he reached them, making Richard pull away from her quickly.

Noticing Kahlan's tears Tim asked: "Is everything okay?"

Kahlan nodded and said: "Yes, we were just saying goodbye."

Tim smiled and said: "Well, goodnight Seeker."

Richard nodded in return and Tim wrapped an arm around Kahlan's waist and said: "Let's go, I think we have the Midlands and a Confessors' line to save..."


	17. Chapter 17

I don't think anyone is going to like this chapter... you can yell at me if you want!

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Cara was in the hallway next to Kahlan's door room, her back was resting against the cold wall and her arms were crossed over her chest. When she saw Kahlan and Prince Travis walking in towards her, she pushed herself off the wall and made a few steps to reach them. What she saw she didn't like. The Mother Confessor, Kahlan, her friend, wasn't looking good at all, and although she couldn't admit to anyone that she cared, she couldn't help but felt worries creeping inside her much to her dislike. Kahlan was looking pale and so tired... It even seemed like she needed help to walk... nothing like the Kahlan that could fight d'Harans.

"Kahlan, is everything alright?" The Mord'Sith asked.

"She's fine, just a little tired." Tim answered.

Cara held her hand in the air to silence him and said: "I'm talking to the Mother Confessor."

"Kahlan?" She said, placing her hand on Kahlan's forearm.

It took some time for Kahlan to look up at Cara, she was lost in her thoughts and starring blankly at the floor.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. I guess I haven't been eating properly in the last few days." Kahlan explained, but Cara was no fool and Kahlan couldn't hide her puffy and teary eyes.

Cara hooked her arm under Kahlan's and pulled her away from the Prince.

"If you go through with this, you will regret it until the rest of your life and nothing will ever make it better. I'm not only talking about betraying Richard but about what being intimate when you don't want it can do to your body and to your soul. You have a lot to lose." The blonde explained.

"I've already lost Richard, I have nothing left to lose Cara." Kahlan replied.

Cara sighed and said: "I could kill him you know, so you wouldn't have to do this."

Kahlan smiled and said: "You sound like Richard."

"Just say the word and your Prince will feel the light touch of my agiel." Cara said.

"I appreciate your concern Cara, but my decision is final." Kahlan stated.

Cara gave a threatening look at Tim and Kahlan added: "I would like you to find Richard and convince him to leave to Palace as soon as possible."

Cara snorted: "Now this is not going to be easy."

"Do whatever it takes. Lie to him if you have to. I just don't want him to be around when the time will come to celebrate that I am with child... And he has his quest as well." Kahlan explained.

Cara nodded and Kahlan hugged her, much to the Mord'Sith surprised. Reluctant at first, she accepted the hug.

"Thank you." Kahlan said in a whispered before pulling away and walking back to Tim.

The Mother Confessor and the Prince entered the room and Cara shouted: "And try to eat something!"

Kahlan weakly smiled as Tim closed the door behind them, leaving a disappointed Cara in the hallway.

In the room, Kahlan walked straight to the window, hoping foolishly to see Richard despite the dark.

"You are in love with him, aren't you?" Tim asked.

"Yes." Kahlan simply replied.

Tim walked behind her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"I also left someone I love back in Tractan. We've been in love since we were young. But now I have to take care of my people so they no longer live in fear. Just like your people." Tim explained.

Kahlan nodded and Tim added: "The council of Tractan, they don't want the war to end but I told them that I would get the war to stop by uniting our country to the Midlands and I'll be crowned King... But if I fail, the war will go on and they will end my life and take my throne."

Tim placed himself between the window and Kahlan, facing her. He put both of his hands on her cheek and said: "We are saving a lot of people, love is the price to pay for the greater good."

He looked straight into Kahlan's eyes and bend over to kiss her but she stopped him.

"Don't." She said, making a few steps backward.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, dizziness gaining her but she fought it back and said: "We will not kiss."

"Alright." The Prince replied.

Kahlan took a huge breath and said: "Take off your shirt, let's get this over with."

Tim willingly took off his shirt and Kahlan slipped off her Confessor dress. The knot in her stomach was burning and her throat was so tight that she wondered how she could keep breathing.

Tim covered the few steps between them and Kahlan put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"You have to promise me two things." She stated. Tim waited for her to continue.

"First, once we are done here, you will leave me alone until I say so. Then, I want you to promise that if one day I die, you will take care of our daughters and stay here in the Palace. You will not take them away and use them for your personal gain." Kahlan said as tears streamed down her face.

"I promise." Tim said, taking her hand.

Standing in front of a stranger only wearing her corset and her under skirt made Kahlan feel very uncomfortable and powerless.

"I know you are scared but everything is going to be alright, just let yourself go." Tim told her as he pulled her into a hug. His embrace felt weird and wrong. Nothing like Richard's. Tim was taller and seemed stronger than her Seeker, whose body, she liked to think, was just the perfect match to hers. Tim's embrace felt uncomfortable and his smell... It was also nothing like Richard's. Nothing as good as it was in Richard's embrace. She tensed when she felt his lips on her shoulder travelling to her neck. She closed her eyes and tried to think about Richard. She tried to remember the first time they've met, his warm smile, how he fought to save her. Tim's hand, which was until now running up and down her arm, dared to move to her collarbone and lower over her chest and breast pulling her out of her thoughts about Richard. She shut her eyes even tighter and tried to think about her Seeker once again, but all she could see was his face and the pain and anger in his eyes.

Weird noises from outside her door once again interrupted her thoughts, she jumped when suddenly she heard her door room burst open.

"Let go of her!" She heard Richard scream in anger. Tim pulled Kahlan away from him and reached for his sword.

"Richard stop!" Kahlan exclaimed. The Seeker was menacing Tim with the Sword of Truth.

"He won't touch you, you hear me? I won't let it happen." Richard said with so much anger that it scared Kahlan.

"Richard..." She started, trying to make a step to get close to him but Tim stopped her with his free hand.

"Stay here." He firmly instructed.

"Let her go or I will kill you!" Richard said.

"Richard please, stop." Kahlan pleaded as she tried to move past Tim who was still blocking her with his strong arm. She was so weak and dizzy, she didn't have the strength to push him away.

Seeing that Tim wasn't letting Kahlan go, Richard charged, sword first but Tim used his Wizard powers to send him flying across the room.

Panic took the best of Kahlan, she tried to run to Richard but Tim sent a Wizard web on her, keeping her from moving.

"This is not your fight Kahlan." Tim told her sternly as Richard was getting back on his feet.

"I am giving you a chance to leave Seeker. I don't want to hurt you, but if you attack me again, it might change." Tim stated.

"Richard, please..." Kahlan pleaded.

Richard growled and ran to Tim who, once again sent him flying across the room.

"Tim, let me go, I can talk to him, just don't hurt him, please." Kahlan said.

"I have a duty and a destiny to fulfill Kahlan, I won't let him stop me." Tim replied with anger in his eyes.

"Are you afraid to fight like a man?" Richard asked, getting up again. "Stop hiding behind your powers and fight like a man!" He screamed.

"Richard, you are out of your mind!" Kahlan tried. Tim just like every people born in Tractan had skills that no other man had when it came to fighting. This is why the never been part of the Midlands before, they were simply stronger and mastered the art of fighting, they didn't need any protection and liked to gain territory.

Tim smiled, walked to Richard and told him: "This is your last chance, leave me alone with Kahlan or I will kill you."

"I guess one of us is going to die tonight then." Richard replied, getting ready for the battle. He clenched his fists and tried to hit Tim who blocked his attack easily. After more tries, all blocked, he finally managed to hit Tim's jaw, unlashing the fury of Kahlan's mate. Despite Kahlan's incessant pleas to stop their fight, both men kept hurting each other, soon Richard's face was covered in blood but Tim's was looking a little better.

"Richard, he's going to kill you. Please, go away... please." Kahlan told him between sobs as her knees hit the floor.

Richard froze for an instant giving the opportunity to Tim to hit his face and break his jaw. Richard fell on the floor and Tim reached for the Sword of Truth.

It was too much for Kahlan, she felt the Condar raising within her and as soon as her eyes turned black she was able to break the Wizard's web cast over her and made her way to the men in front of her. Everything seemed to move in slow motion before her. She saw Richard getting up and Tim about to run him through with the Sword of Truth. When she grabbed Tim by the neck to unleash her powers on him and he stabbed Richard at the same time. The Seeker grabbed Kahlan's hand for support before falling on his knees.

"I love you Kahlan." He told her with a smile.

At the same moment, Kahlan released her powers and she saw Richard's eyes turn black. It all happened in a second. She heard Tim calling her mistress but all she saw was Richard lying unconscious on the floor, the Sword of Truth in his abdomen.

Kahlan came out of the Condar. She had done it, confessing Richard, her worst nightmare taking place before her eyes, that was if he wasn't already dead because of her.

"Save him." She muttered to Tim before she collapsed on the floor, unconscious, just like Richard.


	18. Chapter 18

Hey there! So this is very short (I must apologize), but I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope you'll like it anyway.

This very well could be the end, what do you think?

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When Kahlan woke up, she found herself lying in her bed. Her head was pounding, her vision blurry. She breathed in deeply and it all came back to her... The fight... The Condar... The Sword of Truth in Richard's abdomen... Richard's eyes turning black...

She gasped when she heard: "You're awake Mistress."

"Where's Richard?" She asked to the confessed man standing next to her bed.

"He is being healed by the Wizard of the First Order. He hasn't gained consciousness yet." Explained Prince Timothy Travis with the look of a confessed man. Kahlan imagined that look on Richard's face and it made her shiver.

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked.

"Yes Mistress." Tim replied.

Kahlan felt relieved that Richard was still alive and with Zedd by his side, he will be healed in no time… but healed to live the life of a confessed man.

Tears escaped her eyes and she managed to say: "You will give me your knife and leave the room. You will not allow anyone in."

"As you wish, Mistress." Tim said, taking his knife from his belt to give to her.

Once Tim was out, she got up slowly and realized that she was wearing her white Confessor dress. She slowly walked to her desk and took everything she needed in order to write a letter. She knew what she had to do and nothing would stop her now. The image of Richard's face with black eyes came back again and she started to write:

_My love,_

_You must hate me right now. There are no words to describe how sorry I am for taking your soul. My worst nightmare became reality and I can't bare it. Loosing you is much more than I can handle. You are the best thing that ever happened in my life Richard, those months spent with you, even at the hardest times, were the happier. You saved my life more times than I can count and it's time I save yours. I am not scared for I know I am doing the right thing._

_I know that you are mad at me for choosing a mate and I can't blame you. I am not asking for your forgiveness, Spirits know I don't deserve it because once again I am choosing my duty over you. I've sworn to protect the Seeker with my life and the Midlands need their Seeker more than the Mother Confessor. You have to defeat the Keeper, save our world and you cannot be confessed to me if you want to succeed._

_You've changed my life Richard Cypher, showed me what it was like to love and be loved in return and for that I will forever be thankful. My only regret is that I will never see the face of the child we often imagined we would have. Our daughter would have been beautiful and kind, just like her father._

_You once said that I loved you across time and I want you to know that I'll love you across death. I am hoping that one day you will understand my choices, you may find it hard to believe it now but they were always made out of love, my love for you and my need to protect your soul from the darkness within me, from the monster that I am. I only wish that despite my betrayal we will find our way back together in the afterlife, until then I will watch over you._

_I love you Richard, may the Creator protect you and may you live a long and happy life._

_Forever yours,_

_Kahlan._

When she finished her letter, Kahlan realized that she's been crying, she dried her tears, grabbed her letter and the knife and noticed Richard's shirt on the nearby chair, the one he gave her before they arrived in Aydindrill. She took it and smelled it hoping to find Richard's familiar scent, but it was gone. Gone, just like Richard's soul. She dropped it on the floor and went back to her bed. She lied down and smiled, just like she wrote in her letter she was not scared. She was freeing the man she loved from the monster she was, preventing him to live as a slave. And maybe she would see her mother in the afterlife.

She took the knife, breathed in deeply and cut her left wrist with her right hand making sure to incise along the vein. It didn't hurt as much as she thought, maybe because she was determined to end her life to save Richard. As blood started to stain the white sheets of her bed, she tried to make herself confortable and closed her eyes. She only had Richard in mind, she tried to remember all the moments they've spent together because she was about to disappear from the world of the living. She couldn't help but smile when she thought about the first time he had touched her, in 'his' forest in Hartland. He tried to help her get on her feet and she had put her dagger to his throat. It was the first of the many times he had broken through her Confessor barrier, and probably when she fell in love with him. And now she loved him beyond everything. She prayed to the good Spirits to keep him safe. She felt her body go numb and smiled again, soon he would be free. She tried to focus on his smile but darkness took the best of her and she passed out.

He was free now and she was too...


	19. Chapter 19

Update... I hope you like it! Please review! Thanks!

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She was lying on a bed, again, the Mother Confessor's bed, in the Mother Confessor's quarters in the Palace of Aydindrill. Her face was as pale as the white Confessor dress she was wearing. It was the middle of the day and yet the sun roaming on her skin couldn't warm her. She was conscious now but not strong enough to open her eyes. She could only feel a weight on her right hand bringing her warmth. Her left arm was painful and the rest of her body was numb. She felt at peace thinking that maybe she had joined the Creator because of the light surrounding her. She finally found the strength and dared to open her eyes. The bright sunlight made her squint, she waited until her eyes adjusted to the light and found herself in a white room. She turned her face to look on her right, wondering where this warmth was coming from. That's when she realized that she had failed, she was still alive. He was right here, holding her hand, the man she had confessed. She had confessed the Seeker of Truth and most importantly, she had confessed Richard, the love of her life. Clenching her jaw, she tried not to cry. He was on a chair but his head was resting on the bed, holding her hand in his. Hopefully, she managed to get free from his hold without waking him. She was glad that he was sleeping so she wouldn't have to hear him call her 'Mistress' or see the particular look of the people she confessed, this soulless look. She slowly left the bed and made her way to him, careful not to wake him. This time she couldn't make any mistakes, she had to end her life in order to save him, that was the only thing she had in mind. She slowly reached for the knife at his belt and held it tightly in her hand. She aimed for her stomach and was about to stab herself when a strong hand stopped her and took the knife from her. Everything happened in a heartbeat, he had his knife in his hand and was holding her tightly in his arms. One hand with the knife around her waist, connecting their bodies and the other in her hair. The sides of their faces were touching and she murmured in his ear: "End my life, now."

"No." He simply replied.

"You cannot refuse me anything. End my life now." She repeated with the same cold tone.

"No." He said again, holding her tighter.

"I know you don't want your Mistress to die but you know how much you will please me if you end my life so you can have your soul back." She explained. She never had to explain anything to the people she had confessed.

"You're not my Mistress Kahlan." He told her, kissing her cheek.

"You might think that you are pleasing me by saying this, but I know what happened, I took your soul." She said.

He finally let go of her and let the knife fall on the floor. He gave her a small smile and said: "You took my heart, but not my soul. I am not confessed."

She ran a hand and through his hair and smile weakly at him and said: "I release my powers on you and Tim, because of the ConDar. Your eyes turned black, I saw my powers taking the best of you."

She let her hand slip to his chest and rest over his heart and said: "Pick up that knife and end my life, now."

Richard smiled at her, which she found very disturbing and he said: "Or, since I'm confessed, like you pretend, you could take me as a mate and we could have a daughter."

She sighed and picked up the knife herself but in an instant, Richard grabbed her wrist.

"Look at me!" He hissed. "Look at me and see the truth of my words. I am not Confessed Kahlan. Your powers didn't work on me."

She slightly shook her head no, he wasn't confessed. That was impossible. Again, she repeated the scene in her mind, she was certain she had used her powers on him.

"It's not possible." She stated. "This is some kind of trick, something's wrong here. I know what I saw, my powers never failed me before." She said.

She paused for an instant, thinking about the situation and stated: "You are confessed but you are willing to say or do anything to please me so I won't end my life to free your soul."

"Then ask me something we both want dearly so I can refuse, and you'll see I'm not confessed." He said angrily and wondering why she was refusing to believe him.

"Make love to me." She blurted out against her will. She immediately bit her lip regretting her order to him. As he was confessed, he would do as she asked and she wouldn't be able to stop him.

He slowly cupped her face with his hand and pressed his forehead against hers.

"This is torture." He whispered, closing his eyes.

"It's not what I meant..." She said, her eyes closed as well.

He smiled and said: "I want you so much right now."

"Richard..." She whispered.

"You can't confess me." He cut her off and back away from her with a proud smile, proving her the truth of his words.

Taken aback, she put both hands on her stomach and said: "I need to see Zedd."

"Something is wrong with my powers, he needs to figure it out." She said as she walked towards the door.

Richard stopped her, she was clearly socked and exhausted and she couldn't think straight, he had to calm her and explain what happened to her.

"Kahlan..." He said softly as he took her hand in his.

"It's not possible." She said, shaking her head.

"You need to get some rest." He told her, wrapping her in his arms.

"I confessed you." She said.

"Just go back to bed and I'll explain everything." He said, kissing the top of her head.

She nodded and he held her in his arms until they reached the bed. She laid under the covers and he sat on his chair next to her.

"First of all, you need to know that you saved my life. If it wasn't for the Condar, I'll be dead. You used your powers on Tim and you ordered him to help me, which he did." He explained.

"But I used my powers on you too." She whispered as tears fell on her face.

"You did. I felt it running through my veins. I felt it coming from your hand and it went straight to my head, it felt warm and strong. Then it went to my heart, as if it was searching for something. I knew I was hurt but I didn't feel any pain. I just felt your love, I felt safe and happy." He continued as Kahlan continued to cry.

"Then I passed out and when I woke up I was with Zedd. He had healed me but was very weak. Everything I could think of was you, I needed to get to you as fast as I could. When I reached the door of your room, Tim was standing there claiming that his 'Mistress' had ordered him to stop anyone trying to get in her room. That's when I knew that something was wrong but that's also when I realized that your powers didn't work on me because I was feeling the urge to see my Kahlan and not my Mistress." He said with a smile, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She was listening to him carefully, her brow furrowed. She was having a hard time believing him but she knew that he wasn't lying. What he was telling her about her powers was against everything she had been taught.

Richard's smile left his face and he went on with his story: "I had to beat the crap out of Tim to get in your room, I didn't know why at the time but I felt that you were in danger and I needed to get to you. Cara helped me to knock him out so we could enter your room. When we saw you..."

Kahlan winced at the expression on his face, it was a mix of anger, pain and guilt as tears pooled in his eyes, it broke her heart.

"There was blood everywhere... You... you were lying in a pool of your own blood... I thought... I thought you were gone. It weird because Tim was still confessed but I didn't even realized that, my raw fear of losing you is stronger than my logic. I yelled at Cara to use the breath of life on you and she told me that you were still alive but not for long. She tear down my shirt to put around your wrist to stop the bleeding. I couldn't move. She grabbed my hand and yelled at me to press on your forearm while she would get Zedd." Richard said, looking down as he cried.

"I'm so sorry." Kahlan whispered, making him raise his head to look at her.

He swallowed hard and continued: "You skin was so cold. I didn't know since when you were lying there and I cursed myself for not getting to you sooner. I lied down next to you in hope to give you some warmth while I held on your forearm as strongly as I could. I buried my face in your hair and whispered to you how much I loved you over and over again. I begged you to come back to me, I offered my soul to the Keeper in exchange of your life, offered my life to the Creator for you to come back to me. It felt like Cara had been gone for days when she finally came back with Zedd. Cara had to pull me away from you in order to let Zedd heal you. Your blood... it was all over me. I heard Zedd yelling at Cara to give you the breath of life, I remember that I yelled in anger and crushed my fist against the wall. It was only long after that I realized that it was fractured."

"I died..." She whispered.

"Only for a short time, Cara saved you and Zedd managed to stop the bleeding but he wasn't strong enough to heal you completely because he healed me first." He replied and that's only when she realized that his wrist was indeed fractured, it was red and swollen and she wondered how he could manage the pain. Guilt overwhelmed her and she cried again.

"I found your note and took it with me, I didn't even read it then because I needed to get you out of this room, away from all this blood. I picked you up and I ordered Sylvia to lead me to the Mother Confessor quarters. Here." He said, looking around the room.

"You carried me, with a fractured wrist?" She softly asked.

"I didn't feel any pain, I was too worried about you. I needed to get you somewhere safe where you could rest. I needed to take care of you." He explained.

He shifted in his chair and continued: "You were still unconscious and so cold in my arms. I asked Sylvia for hot water to draw you a bath. I... I bathed you carefully, cleaning the blood in your hair and on your body, I couldn't stop weeping. After a moment, Sylvia came back with clean clothes for the both of us. I quickly wiped your blood off of me and changed and then I did the same for you. Finally I laid you in this bed, tucked you under the covers, sat on this chair holding your hand and read your letter over and over again."

"But you're not confessed...my powers..." She whispered, still waiting for him to explain her how it was possible.

"We're almost there." He told her with a smile and continued: "When Zedd regained some strength, he came to check on you and asked for explanation about what happened, since when he healed me I ran to get to you. So I told him everything, the fight, the Condar, that you used your powers on me but that I wasn't confessed. And you know what? He looked at me and smiled."

"I don't understand." Kahlan mumbled.

"He patted my shoulder and smiled. Then he made up a new number of lesson and said that there was no magic more powerful than love." Richard said.

"It makes no sense. Did he at least check if my powers were working?" She asked.

"He did... but he didn't need to because it makes perfect sense my love." Richard replied with a smile that warmed her heart.

"I welcomed your powers in me. I wasn't afraid. It ran through my body looking for hatred or fear but found none. See, the people around you, they fear and hate either you or your powers, sometimes both. I don't really know how this works but when you unleashed yours powers on me, it did not find fear or hate to transform in flawless love because this flawless love Kahlan, it is already in me, in my heart, in my soul, in my whole being. This is why I cannot be confessed to you, because your magic only finds my utter love for you inside of me." He finally explained.

Kahlan sat up in her bed, resting her back against the headboard. She closed her eyes and took a long and deep breath.

"Will you give me some time alone please?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

Richard tried to hide his disappointment and agreed. He never imagined that if he managed to find a way for them to be together, she would ask him to leave.

He got up slowly, tears streaming down his face, everything he wanted was to hold her, make her feel safe in his arms. He understood that she needed time, she was in shock, so much had happened in the last few days and she had to proceed everything.

"Get some rest my love, I'll be right behind the door if you need me." He told her before leaving her alone in the room. When the door closed, she curled into a ball and cried.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry it's taken me forever to update but life's been really hectic recently, not that I complain... well yes a little coz I can't write or update...

Enough useless writting, let's get to this new chapter, I hope you'll like it and if you do or don't, just let me know.

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Richard couldn't tell how long he's been waiting in the hallway in front of the door of the Mother Confessor's room, receiving looks of sympathy from maids or guards. Cara had joined him from time to time, updating him about Zedd's condition. Even though his grandfather was feeling better, he needed to rest and he wasn't strong enough to heal Kahlan's wound on her arm or Richard's fractured wrist. The wrist could wait but Richard wanted Kahlan's wound to disappear.

"Do you want me to go in and knock some senses into her?" The Mord'Sith asked.

"Cara…" Richard replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"When you couldn't be together you couldn't get your hands off each other and now that you can, you're not even in the same room. It makes no sense." Cara explained.

"It's complicated." Richard sighed.

"Let me see… No, not really. You want her, take her." The blond replied.

"Leave me alone Cara." The Seeker ordered. Even if he understood that Cara was trying to make him feel better, she wasn't really helping.

"Fine, but she's wasting time alone when she could use that time for so much fun and pleasure." Cara teased, running her finger along Richard's jaw before giving him a smile and adding: "I know I wouldn't waste that time."

She winked at him and left him alone in the hallway.

Richard ran his hand in his hair and decided to enter in the room. He just needed to see her, to make sure she was okay.

"Kahlan?" He called softly as he entered her room without knocking.

The big white bed in the middle of the room was empty, looking around, he spotted her on the balcony. Making his way toward her, he noticed that she was staring at the view in front of her, her arms tightly crossed over her.

She barely turned her head to him, acknowledging his presence. He stood quietly beside her, enjoying the view of the sun setting down on the city of Aydindrill.

After a long moment of silence, without looking at him, Kahlan finally asked: "Do they know what I did?"

"Who?" Richard asked back in a soft voice.

"My people." She simply replied.

"No, the only persons knowing what happened are Cara, Zedd, Sylvia and well… Tim." He told her.

She simply nodded and went quiet again, still staring at the city.

"You should get back inside, it's freezing cold out here." He told her after another long silence.

"You don't have to be here." She replied in a cold tone, still not daring to look at him.

"I don't have to, but I want to, I need to." He said in a whisper.

She turned to face him and undid the laces of her dress, looking straight in his eyes. Richard swallowed hard when her dress hit the floor, leaving her only with her corset and underthings.

"Kahlan…" He whispered.

"Here, take me." She said.

He shook his head no and she added: "Isn't it why you're here? To claim what's yours to take?"

"I'm here to help you to go through whatever you're going through Kahlan." He told her.

"You don't want me then." She said, grabbing her dress and putting it back on herself.

"I want you… Kahlan… Spirits know how much I want you, but not like this." He explained as tears filled his eyes.

"Then what do you want from me Richard?" She abruptly asked.

"Nothing." He told her as he made a step towards her but she made a step back.

"After everything I've put you through, after I betrayed you, why are you here?" She asked with the same cold tone.

"Because I love you Kahlan!" He shouted, making her jump and closed her eyes. "I may not be confessed but I have this intense need to be next to you, to make sure that you are alright, to hold you in my arms…" He continued with a warmer tone.

She finally closed the gap between them and ran a hand through his hair, she looked in his eyes as her vision became blurry because of her own tears and she said: "I don't need you pity Richard. I don't want you to wait for me to feel better and then tell me that we are over because of what I did to you. I love you with all my being and leaving me now or in a few days will break my heart just the same."

"I don't want to leave you Kahlan. I want to be with you forever." He told her as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"You were angry at me for taking a mate, in the garden, when we spoke, you were so angry..." She whispered.

"I was…" He admitted as he dared to rest his hand on her neck and caress her jaw with his thumb.

"I'm sorry to be so unworthy of your love." She cried as she pushed herself away from him.

"Don't do this Kahlan, don't you dare say that you are worthless. You are the most important thing in my life, the best thing that ever happened to me." He sternly told her.

"I chose him, I let him kiss me and let his hands touch me. I may be the Mother Confessor but I'm just a whore. I will never forgive myself for betraying you. What happened in that room will forever be marked in my mind as the day that I was less of a woman, the day I disappointed you to the point of no return." She explained with a sad smile.

He growled in anger and grabbed by the shoulders pushing her against the wall. He locked his gaze with hers for a second and he kissed her hard, almost bruising her lips, forcing his tongue inside her mouth. His hips buckled against her as his lips left her mouth to kiss her neck, biting the skin here and there, sucking to leave his mark as he reached her collarbone. He wanted her to understand that he loved her, that he wanted her, that she wasn't worthless. She wouldn't hear his words so maybe she would understand his actions even if his passion for her was taking the best of him, driving him mad.

"Take me. I won't resist." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

Richard froze, he had to stop before he started something he would regret. Their first time would be magical, he promised her that and he intended to keep his word.

He buried his face in her neck and whispered: "No matter if he kissed you or touched you, I'm going to do whatever it takes to show you that you are more than worthy of my love."

He looked at her and took her hand in his, put it over his heart under his shirt and he said: "My heart only beats for you. I want you to feel it."

"Richard…" She whispered as she tried to pull her hand away.

"Do you feel it?" He asked, pressing her hand tighter over his chest.

She nodded slightly and he said: "Now, you're going to get inside and I'll change your bandages, after that we're going to lay in your bed and I'll hold you until you fall asleep."

"You don't…" She started but he silenced her with his finger and said: "You don't have the right to protest. When you're with me, you're not the Mother Confessor, you are the woman that I love and that I intend to take care of. You can blame yourself all you want, but I'm not going anywhere."

With that he took her hand in his and led her inside the room, making her sit on the edge of the bed as he reached for bandages and ointments to take care of her arm. She stood still as he inspected her wound. Zedd had closed it with its magic but it wasn't strong enough to heal it completely, it still needed treatment to prevent from any infections.

"Does it hurt?" Richard asked gently.

She shook slightly her head no and he continued to work on her arm. It amazed her how, with a fractured wrist, he could do so much. Once he was done, she thanked him and reached for some bandages.

"Here, you should keep it steady." She said as she softly reached for his forearm to put bandages around his fractured wrist.

"It's alright, it doesn't hurt, let's get some sleep." He told her.

"Please Richard, let me do this. If not for you than for me. It's the least I can do after what I've done to you." She told him, looking down.

"Okay." He simply replied, letting her wrap his wrist with bandages. Once she was done, he took her hand in his and gave it a small kiss.

"Thank you. Now let's lie down." He said with a smile. She nodded and they both took their boots off.

Kahlan lied in the bed, under the covers, fixing the ceiling. She didn't know if she would be able to sleep, she had too many things on her mind. As a wave of tears filled her eyes, she closed them and took a deep breath. She felt the mattress move under Richard's weight as he lied on his side close to her. She could feel his look on her face for a moment but she didn't want to open her eyes, the shame of her betrayal was still too heavy for her. She felt him kiss her temple and wrap his arm around her waist and finally he rested his head close to hers, so close she could feel his hot breath on her face as he whispered his love for her.

She suddenly turned in his arms and kissed him with passion. Her hands reached his chest and slowly moved down to sneak under his shirt, her hands on his skin made him moan as he ran his hands through her hair. She was so intoxicating that he let himself get lost in their kiss but went back to reality when he felt her hands tugging at the laces of his pants.

He broke their kiss and mumbled: "Kahlan stop."

She captured his lips once again and he grabbed her hands and it was her turn to break their kiss.

"Let me do this for you, I know you want to." She whispered in a sultry voice that made him shiver from head to toes.

"What are you doing?" He asked. "This is not you Kahlan."

"I want to prove my love for you." She replied truthfully.

"I promised you our first time would be special, I won't let it happen that way." He told her.

She asked: "And how am I going to prove my love to you?"

"What do you mean? You don't have to prove anything to me." He told her, shifting to look at her, propping himself on an elbow.

"You are immunized to my powers, that's proving your love for me and I can't show you my love for you in return. I'm scared that you love me too much and that I can't love you back enough." She explained.

Richard chuckled, she wondered what was so funny and he said: "I love you and you love me back enough, I can see it by the look in your eyes. Past, the strength, the Mother Confessor, the determination and all the things making you who you are, I can see your endless love for me."

"But…" She started but he silenced her with a small kiss.

"You were willing to end your life because you wanted to free me from confession, if you really need proof, this is one." He said.

"I did that to save the Seeker and save the Midlands." She replied.

"I believe that you wrote that 'your choices were made out of love, your love from me and your need to protect me' in your goodbye letter." He said with a smile.

She didn't replied and closed her eyes, looking for something to say to him but he was first to speak: "And as you're going to be my wife and give birth to our daughters, I think it pretty much proves your love for me."

Her eyes filled with tears again and he planted her kiss on her forehead before saying: "I know that you love me Kahlan and if you trust me with your powers, it's everything I need."

She nodded and hugged him tightly, burying her face in the crock of his neck. He let himself fall on the bed on his back and pulled to covers on them, never letting go of her.

"I believe you can sleep soundly now." He said, kissing her on the top of the head. She nodded and fell asleep in an instant.


	21. Chapter 21

Hello, is there anyone here? New chapter is up, I hope you'll enjoy it. Please let me know what you think!

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They awoke by the sound of several louds knocks at the door. Kahlan groaned and pressed her body against Richard's.

"Make them go away." She mumbled, placing a small kiss on his neck.

"It's your room, Mother Confessor." Richard replied, kissing her on the top of the head and tightening his hold on her.

"Open this door or I'll burst it open." They heard Cara yell.

"It's your Mord'Sith." Kahlan said.

Richard groaned and reluctantly got up to open the door of the room.

"What is it Cara?" He abruptly asked.

"The prisoner has requested to see the Mother Confessor." The Mord'Sith explained. Hearing her name, Kahlan sat up in her bed.

"And it couldn't wait a little while longer why?" Richard asked, not pleased that Cara had waken them both.

"It's almost time for lunch and I really wanted to know if you were in here wasting time sleeping or being busy with more interesting things." She replied with a wicked smile.

Richard sighed and Cara added: "But you and the Mother Confessor being fully dressed is attesting of major boredom."

"That will be all, thank you Cara." Richard said and closed the door before she had time to add anything else.

Walking back toward the bed, he gave a smile at Kahlan and she asked: "The prisoner?"

Richard cleared his throat and sat on the bed next to her before replying: "Prince Travis. When you… when you died, he got free from confession. He tried to kill me and he used his powers on you, that makes him a traitor. He's been in a cell ever since, he went there willingly, ashamed of what he did to us."

"Oh…" Was all Kahlan could say.

"I think he prefers to be here in a cell than to go back to Tractan where he'll be executed." Richard stated.

Kahlan looked down, thinking again about the latest events. Noticing the change in her attitude Richard said: "Hey, let's not think about it."

She nodded and he added: "What do you want to do today? We could start with breakfast."

"Cara said it was already lunch time." She told him with a smile.

"Well, we overslept a little, but we could still sneak in the kitchens." He replied with a shrug.

"Actually… I was thinking about having a bath and then asking for food to be brought here." Kaklan told him.

"It seems very good to me. Let me get Sylvia." Richard replied. He was about to leave but she stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"They're going to want to see me." She almost whispered.

"Who?" He asked.

"The Council. They will ask about my mate, they will want to know what happened." She said.

"Let's worry about this later my love. I just want you to have a day to yourself, to rest and feel good. When you are ready, we will deal with the Council and Travis." He told her, looking straight in her eyes and brushing her cheek with his thumb.

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and tried to get up but she stopped him once again, hugging him tight. She rested her head on his shoulder and told him: "I love you."

"I love you too." He replied, hugging her with the same force but being careful not to crush her. He ran softly his a hand in her hair and said: "Now, if you let me go, I'll find Sylvia and ask her for hot water and food. I won't be gone for long, I promise."

"It feels good in your arms." She mumbled.

Richard chuckled and said: "I know. But I can't let us starve."

He loved those moments with her, the moments she was just Kahlan, when she needed him, when she wasn't afraid to appear weak, crazy or in love, when she would smile at him for no reason or tease him. He hoped it could last forever, being just together, enclosed in her room or in any room. But soon, the rest of the world would sneak back between them, the Council, Prince Travis, the Keeper, Zedd, Cara… But he was determined to make the best of the time they had just for the two of them.

Pulling away from her, he gave her a warm smile and said: "I'll be right back."

She nodded and quickly lied down under the covers until Richard came back in the room. Although he wasn't gone for very long, it felt like an eternity. She smiled when she heard the door open without a knock, knowing it could only be him.

"Hot water will be here soon, and I asked for both breakfast and lunch so you can choose what you want to eat." He told her as he walked quickly over the bed and lied on top of her, careful not to crush her.

"Thank you." She said as she looked deep into his eyes before kissing him passionately.

When they pulled away for much needed air, she smiled and told him: "You better get off me before Sylvia comes in."

"It could be worst… we could be completely naked, sweaty, breathless…" He said as he punctuated each word with kisses, tasting the skin of her neck.

She moaned and whispered his name.

He continued the exploration of her neck for a while before adding: "Besides, she's the one who led me to your room on my first night here, I don't think she would mind finding me on top of you."

Kahlan let out of soft sigh when he teased her with his tongue. "Richard… I… huh…" She mumbled as she held him tighter and ran her hands through his hair.

She groaned when she felt him shift away from her. "I'll add wood to the fire so you won't be cold after your bath." He told her, chuckling at her disappointed reaction.

"Thank you." She told him as she watched him walking to the fireplace. The room was bigger than any room of the Palace, with everything the Mother Confessor could need, a desk, a closet, an additional room, a bathroom, a fireplace, a dining table and even armchairs and a couch. It was like having a small house inside a Palace.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and Sylvia entered the room on Kahlan's permeation.

"Mother Confessor. Richard." She greeted them, bowing her head.

"Good morning Sylvia." Kahlan replied with a smile as she sat up.

"The water for your bath is ready, may we enter to fill your bathtub, Mother Confessor?" She politely asked.

Kahlan nodded her head and Sylvia indicated to the other maids to enter the room, along with water, food was brought in the room and placed on the dining room. Sylvia walked next to the bed where the Mother Confessor was looking down at the bandage on her arm.

She waited until the last maid quitted the room and asked: "How do you feel Kahlan?"

Kahlan looked up at her and smiled: "Very well, thank you Sylvia."

"You scared us so much." Sylvia said at the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry." Kahlan softly and truthfully replied.

"It's alright dear, as long as you are safe and feeling better now, everything is alright." The maid replied.

Kahlan nodded and smiled. As Sylvia left the room, she looked at Richard and said: "Take good care of her."

"You know I will." He said, giving her his best smile.

Sylvia smiled back at him and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Silence filled the room and Richard caught Kahlan looking at her bandage on her left arm. He walked close to the bed and softly called her name.

"Are you alright?" He said, giving her a smile.

She nodded in answer and he told her: "Zedd will heal it, it'll be gone soon, you don't have to worry."

"I don't want him to heal it." She whispered.

"What? Why?" He asked, taken aback by her answer. He sat on the bed close to her, waiting for her answer.

"I want to remember what I did to you, the pain I put you through, so every time I will look at it, I will know that I have to make it up to you." She explained.

"You are punishing yourself. I thought we went through this already, you don't own me anything." He said with an irritated tone.

"It's a scar Richard. My guilt won't go away, neither will this scar." She said sternly.

He sighed and said: "You should take your bath before the water turns cold."

He didn't want to argue with her again, she needed time, he knew it and he was willing to give it to her.

"How can you see the good in all this and act like nothing happened?" She asked in a soft tone.

"Every reminds me of what happened, my scar reminds me that I confessed you, his name reminds me that I let him touch me, the bath reminds me that you washed the blood covering my body…" She explained.

"I see the good in all this because I know that we can have a life together, the life we wanted, the life we dreamt of, together… Without all of this, we still would be torturing ourselves thinking we can never find happiness. Now we now that we can." He replied to her with a bright smile.

"I thought I had lost you." She whispered.

"I know, but you didn't, I'm here." He said, wrapping his arms around her.

"The water is going to be cold now." He said after a moment. She nodded against his chest and reluctantly pulled away from him and walked to the bathroom. Realizing that she needed help with the bandage on her arm, she walked back in the room.

"Can you help me with…" She froze in mid-sentence when she saw Richard clenching the hilt of the Sword of Truth that was resting on an armchair. His back was turned to her and he didn't even notice when she approached him. She felt her heart constricted knowing that the last time he was using the sword to channel his anger was in the garden when she was about to lie down with her mate. It meant only one thing, he was still mad at her for betraying him.

She covered his hand with hers and said: "Maybe I should leave… give you so time to forgive me."

He immediately let go of the sword and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her body against his and giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

"You are still angry." She whispered.

"It has nothing to do with you." He told her.

"Then what is it about?" She asked, pulling out from his embrace to look at him.

"It's nothing." He replied quickly.

"Don't lie to me Richard please… I know that you don't want to upset me but hiding your feelings or your thoughts from me is worse than anything." She said, running her fingers over the skin of his chest through the opening of his shirt.

Richard cleared his throat and told her: "I'm just thinking about Travis and what he wants to say to you. He put you through a lot already and I just want to protect you from him. I hate him. That's why I'm angry, not because of you."

Silence filled the room as she continued to run her fingers over his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. He tried to calm his racing heart and to stop thinking about Travis. He will deal with him later, right now he had to focus on Kahlan. Without a warning, he suddenly swept her off her feet.

"Richard!" She gasped with surprise.

"I believe you have a hot tub waiting for you." He told her as she hooked her arms around his neck.


	22. Chapter 22

I would like to thank ForeverRK and klynnrhiannon for their support and multiples reviews. Take a look at their stories!

Also, thanks to the rest of you leaving comments, it's always appreciated and it clearly makes my day!

Enjoy the new chapter!

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"I demand a merciful death." Said Prince Timothy Travis as he fell on his knees in front of the Mother Confessor.

Kahlan looked at him, she didn't expect such a request but her anger towards him made her consider his demand.

"I'd rather die at your hands than go back to Tractan and be tortured." Tim added, looking down at the floor.

"Or you could be tortured here…" Cara said, playing with her agiel.

So far, Richard had remained silent, just like the Head of the Council, Herbert Phinelas both standing at each side of the Mother Confessor.

"I failed my people, they were hopeful that war will stop if Tractan became a part of the Midlands, now war will get stronger and a lot of them will die. I tried to kill the Seeker because I was afraid to fail and now I must pay the consequences of my actions." Tim added.

"You will be executed tomorrow at sun down." Kahlan said coldly before turning and walking away from Travis' cell.

"Kahlan…" Richard called out to her.

"Mother Confessor, may I have a word, please?" Herbert asked, following her.

Kahlan kept walking silently until she reached her office where everyone followed her in.

"Mother Confessor…" Herbert started. "We are not in position to conduct an open war against Tractan when our forces are already dealing with Banelings."

Kahlan sat at her desk and started to work, going through different papers. She didn't care what he could said, Tim had hurt Richard, he deserved to die.

"I don't know what kind of issues the Seeker and Prince Travis had but you should still consider taking him as a mate, for the Midlands' sake." Herbert added.

Hearing the word mate made Kahlan look up at Herbert and she stated: "My decision is final. You may go now."

"Mother Confessor, as head of the Council, I suggest you to consider this situation clearly, it seems like your emotions are clouding your judgment…" He tried but Kahlan stood up and said: "I am the Mother Confessor and my decision is final."

"Very well Mother Confessor." Herbert said looking down and quickly exiting the office.

"Kahlan…" Richard said softly.

"Are you going to lecture me on my choice too?" She asked abruptly.

Richard sighed and said: "You are starting a war Kahlan…"

"Isn't it what you want? Don't you hate him?" She asked.

"I do hate him but the last thing the Midlands need is a war." He replied, running a hand through his hair.

"Since when do you care about the fate of the Midlands?" She asked back. She didn't mean to be so harsh to him but she couldn't help it, she was too angry.

"Since I met you and I understood how much you care about your people." He told her without hesitation.

"I won't take him as a mate, I won't do the same mistake again." She stated, shaking her head in disagreement. She didn't want to hurt Richard again, to hurt herself. She knew she had to choose between her duty and the man she loved and the last events made it clear for her, she was choosing Richard.

"Maybe there is another way, we just need to figure it out." He said.

"I'm giving up Richard. I'm giving all up for us. I'm going with you on your quest, I don't care about mates or about being the last Confessor, I just want to be with you." She explained.

Making his way next to her behind her desk, Richard wrapped his arms around her and said: "No, you do care about those things because it's who you are. The lovely and carrying Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor of the Midlands and I wouldn't have you any other way."

He gave her a sweet and long kiss on the lips and looked into her eyes and said: "I love you."

She smiled widely and he chuckled at the expression on her face.

"What?" She asked, still smiling.

"I missed this, seeing you smile like this." He explained, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

"I missed you telling me that you love me." She said, biting her lower lip as her smiled disappeared.

"What do you mean?" He asked, taken aback, her comment totally surprised him.

"It's nothing, it's okay." She said, trying to get out of his embrace.

"No, it's not, you're not getting away with this Kahlan." He said.

"It's just stupid and crazy…" She told him, adverting his gaze.

"Well, it bothers you, so we are talking about it right now." He said sternly.

Kahlan cleared her throat and said: "Since I woke up… it's… Spirits, I feel so stupid…"

She shook her head, took a breath and added: "Since I woke up, it's the first time you tell me I love you without me saying it first or being angry."

Richard smiled and said: "It's not stupid, it's very cute."

He rested his hand on her cheek and she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth on her face and she said: "I don't want to be cute, I'm the Mother Confessor, I shouldn't be worrying who said I love you first or when and how."

"I love you." He said, kissing her on the forehead.

She smiled but kept her eyes closed, enjoying his kisses. He kissed her on the lips and whispered: "I love you."

Her smiled grew wider and she let out a surprised cry when he lifted her and sat her on her desk.

She opened her eyes to get lost in his and he said: "Now, should I be worried because you didn't say I love you back?"

"Never." She replied and crushed her lips on his, kissing his deeply. She slid her hands under his shirt as she loved to do, enjoying the heat of his body and the curves of his muscles. Their kiss grew deeper as their tongues battled for control and soon his hands were on her neck, descending to her collarbones. She kept hoping that they would travel lower to untie the laces of her dress. She grabbed the side of his shirt to throw it away. She wanted to be able to explore his body freely. But before she had time to remove it, a knock on the door interrupted them.

They pulled apart breathless, resting their forehead against each other and both said: "Zedd."

They laughed and Kahlan moved to sit down on her chair as Richard stood next to her. Somehow she was glad that he had interrupted them, she didn't completely trust herself around Richard with her powers. Even if he told her that he couldn't be confessed, something was bothering her.

"Come in." She said and the door opened to reveal the tall Wizard.

"There you are!" He exclaimed as he entered the room.

"Zedd! How are you feeling?" Richard asked.

"Much better my boy, I can heal the both of you entirely now." Zedd replied with a bright smile. He walked next to Richard and took his wrist in his hands to heal him.

Kahlan stood up and said: "I'm going to leave you two alone."

She walked across the room and left before Zedd had the time to tell her to stay. The old man looked questioningly at Richard.

"She needs time." The Seeker simply told to his grand-father, with a sad expression on his face.

"Doesn't she want me to heal her?" Zedd asked.

"No. She said that the scar is here to remind her of what she did to me." Richard explained.

"She'll get through it my boy, she's a strong one." The Wizard told him.

"I know but everything weight so much on her… I wish I could take it all away and protect her." Richard said.

"With great power come great responsibilities Richard. You and Kahlan are destined to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders but you will always have each other to overcome all the obstacles and finally live a happy life. And who knows, with a little help of a grumpy Mord'Sith and a hungry Wizard this day will come soon enough." Zedd told his grand-son.

"There, you're all set, now go find Kahlan." He added, releasing Richard's wrist.

"Thank you Zedd." Richard said and practically ran through the door to find her.

He had no troubles finding her since all the guards discreetly indicated the path to follow. He silently thanked each of them and finally ended up in the Mother Confessor's room to find Kahlan on a couch in front of the fire place.

He sat next to her and twisted his wrist in front of her and he said: "As good as new."

Kahlan smiled and told him: "I have something for you."

She got up and went to her closet to retrieve a package. Sitting back next to Richard she gave it to him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You have to open it and find out." She replied with a smile.

Richard tear down the paper wrapped around the gift and found Kahlan's present.

"Night pants?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I thought it would be much more comfortable than sleeping with your pants." She told him with a smile.

"I see it doesn't come with a shirt." He said, looking for a shirt.

"Well, that's because you are not allowed to wear a shirt if you are sleeping next to me." Kahlan explained with playfulness.

"Says who?" Richard asked.

"Says the Mother Confessor." Kahlan replied.

"She seems very wise." He told her before bending over her and kissing her quickly on the lips. He chuckled when he heard her sighed in disappointment. The truth was that he wanted her so much, it was all he could give her because any more contact would lead to making love to her and he didn't want to ruin the surprise he was planning for their first night.

"Just a small kiss?" Kahlan asked.

Richard smiled and said: "Thank you very much, I love my new night pants."

He knew exactly what she meant but he preferred to avoid her comment.

"We should check on your bandage before we go to bed." He tried to change the subject and tried to look away from her.

She shifted toward him and slid her hand through the opening of his shirt and crushed her lips on his. She teased his lower lip with her tongue while she ran her hand on his perfect chest. Richard pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"The things you do to me Kahlan Amnell..." He whispered.

"You're right… We should change my bandages and go to bed." She said before getting up. She walked to her private bathroom to get some medical supplies, she watched Richard has he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Could he be able to lie to her? Doubt creped in her mind, she couldn't help but heard her own words again 'I died'. She died. She wanted to believe him so much, that he couldn't be confessed but a small part of her doubted him. What if he had been confessed before she died and didn't remember?

"I wasn't confessed." She jumped hearing his words. So lost in her own thoughts she didn't realized he was standing close to her.

She looked at him and asked: "How do you know I was thinking about that?"

"Last night, in your sleep you kept repeating 'I died' and 'Richard confessed." He explained. "And our make out session were very much more heated before everything happened." He added with a smile.

He gently took her injured arm and started to work on unfolding her bandage and making sure the scar stayed clean.

"I shouldn't doubt you… It's just…" She started.

"It's just that you've been taught all your life that it couldn't be true, that you couldn't be loved like anybody else and I get it, it's why I've been taking things slow between us." He cut her off but not looking at her as he kept working on her bandage.

She nodded and said: "You are more than I ever dared to hope, wish or prayed for. I love you so much. Spirits, I can't even find words to let you know how much I love you."

He smiled from ear to ear and when he released her arm once the bandage was done, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Thank you." She told him before kissing him and resting her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her as well and ran a hand in her hair. They stood like this for a long moment until Richard noticed that her hold on him was beginning to weaken.

"You are falling asleep." He whispered to her, kissing the top of her head.

"I know." She mumbled.

"We'd be more comfortable in your bed." He told her.

"You're right." She said reluctantly and with a long sigh.

They pulled apart and Richard gave her a long and sweet kiss.

"Get ready for bed, I'll be waiting for you under the blankets." He told her.

She nodded and smiled as she watched him leave the bathroom. She closed the door behind him and smiled even more thinking how much she loved this man.


	23. Chapter 23

New chapter! Enjoy before there are only a few more before the end! Let me know if you like it!

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She awoke, shivering from the cold around her body. She tried to reach for Richard next to her but her hand only found the mattress. His absence made her immediately opened her eyes, she looked around in the dark of the night, trying to find him. The only thing she saw was the moon lightening the curtains of the balcony doors which were wide open. She got up and walked to the balcony when she found him, watching the mere lights of the city. Lost in his thoughts, he barely acknowledged her presence. He was so handsome only wearing the night pants she just got him, she could swear that his skin was glowing under the moonlight. Walking to stand behind him, she kissed his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, nuzzling his shoulder.

"I could ask you the same question." He replied, still contemplating the city.

"I miss you next to me." She said, pressing her body against him.

He smiled and ran his hands on her arms which were crossed over his chest and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Go back to bed my love." He gently instructed her.

"Not without you." She replied, kissing his shoulder here and there.

He pulled her hands away from his chest and turned in her embrace.

She looked deep in his eyes and asked: "What's going on?"

"I just came here to think." He replied with a shrug.

"Think about what?" She asked again, well aware that he was not telling her everything.

"How much I love you." He said before kissing her passionately.

When they pulled apart she said: "You can try to divert me with kisses, but you're not getting away with this Richard."

"I know… Let's go back to bed and I'll explain what I was thinking about." He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

They went back to bed and lied on their sides, facing each other. Kahlan ran a finger over his face and pushed back a strand of hair getting in his eyes. The sad expression on his face made her stomach twist with apprehension of what he was about to tell her.

"I'm listening." She said softly and bravely, locking eyes with him.

"I think I know how to stop the war against Tractan." He blurted.

"How?" She asked.

"You have to confess Tim." He replied.

She shook her head no and said: "I am not taking him as a mate."

"It's not what I'm saying. If you confess him, all you'll have to do is to pretend that he is your mate, no one has to know that you are not sharing your bed with him. If his people are convinced that Tractan and the Midlands are united, they won't kill him and the violence at the border will stop." Richard explained.

"You expect me to lie to my people? To the council?" She asked.

"You don't have to lie to the council if they can keep a secret. And about your people, better lie to them than to start a war." He explained.

Kahlan closed her eyes and sighed deeply. When she opened them, she looked at Richard and said: "It's crazy." And then she turned her back to him while pulling the sheets and covers over her.

"Think about it Kahlan, uniting Tractan with the Midlands is your only solution." He told her.

She turned to face him, she looked furious and said: "And what happens when time comes to be with child? What am I supposed to do? Fake it and steal someone's baby? Or would you rather see me lying with him?"

"You're beautiful when you are angry." He told her with a smile.

"You think this is funny? You are asking me to live a lie until the end of my life!" She almost screamed.

He smiled and ran a hand on her face. "All I'm saying is that you have to pretend that he is your mate and when time will come to be with child, you'll be with child, my child, our child." He explained.

She looked at him in disbelief and he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his body to her.

"Since you can't confess me, I'm planning on being the savior of the Confessor line and I'm willing to give my whole body to the Mother Confessor to do so." He told her with a wide smile, sending shivers all over her body.

"It makes no sense." She said at the verge of tears.

"It makes perfect sense my love. You and I, we're going to have many beautiful baby Confessors. You can declare Tim as your mate and once everything is settled down with Tractan, you'll choose another mate… Hopefully, you'll make the right choice." He said with a smile.

"You think the Mother Confessor is some kind of whore changing mates when she's bored?" She abruptly asked.

"Kahlan…" He sighed. "I'm just trying to find a way to stop a war without losing you…"

He sat up in bed and rested his back against the headboard. "There are so many things happening lately and I feel like all of them are trying to break us apart. I wish our lives were simples, that we could live in a house with our children. I want to protect you from the madness going around us and right now confessing Tim is the only thing that comes to my mind."

He took her hand in his as she sat next to him, pulling the covers over them and he added: "I know you don't want to lie but what other option do we have? Starting a war? Taking him as a mate for real? You will carry the burden of all those things and I don't want you to."

They stood silent for a long moment before she spoke: "I… I will confess him…"

She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his bare waist, her fingers tracing invisible forms on his side. "Promise me it's going to be okay." She asked.

"Everything is going to be okay my love, I promise." He told her before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Even if I probably won't be able to give you a son?" She abruptly asked, raising her head to look up at him.

"Where does that come from?" He asked.

"You know Confessors have daughters and if we have a son…" She started.

"I'll be just fine with daughters Kahlan." He told her with a smile. "And we'll worry about having a son if we have one. All I want is a family with you and if it means filling this palace with baby girls, I'll be the happiest man on earth." He added.

She cupped his cheek with her hand and placed a chaste kiss on his lips and she said: "I love you."

"I love you too." He replied as she went back to resting her head against his shoulder.

"And you know, if they don't want to hunt, I'll teach them the names of the trees and the flowers." He said with a big smile on his face.

"I'd like that." Kahlan told him, smiling as well and running her fingers over his perfect chest.

She let out a long sigh when she noticed the first ray of sun hitting the windows on her room.

"The sun is up." She said with sadness in her voice. She knew that it meant that she would have to leave the warmth of his embrace.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I mean, just you and I?" He asked.

She nodded and said: "I'd like that."

"Don't get your hope too high, it'll be simple." He told her.

"As long as I am with you, I don't need to get my hope high." She replied.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"Zedd?" Kahlan asked looking up at Richard.

"No, Cara." He said, getting up and walking to the door.

"Good morning Cara." He said, opening the door.

"Nice pants." The Mord'Sith replied.

"What do you want this morning?" Richard asked, ignoring her comment.

"Just checking on you two and I'm still disappointed." She said, crossing her arms over her chest with a wicked smile.

Richard closed the door on her face and walked back to bed.

"Just do it already!" They heard her say out loud.

Richard and Kahlan both blushed and smiled at each other.

"That's some crazy Mord'Sith." Kahlan said shaking her head.

"Just ignore her, she's jealous." Richard replied with a smile before kissing her on the lips.

"I can understand. You are handsome, charming and you are… mine." She told him before kissing him back.

Richard suddenly grew serious and said: "Kahlan… There… There is something that I need to talk to you about."

Kahlan raised an eyebrow, worries filling her mind and stomach once again.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I would like you to stay here, in Aydindrill." He quickly said.

"Wh-What? Why? I don't understand." She told him, shaking her head.

"I don't want you to put yourself in danger by coming with my on my quest to defeat the Keeper." He explained.

"You'll be the one in danger if I don't go with you. A Seeker needs his Confessor by his side, I'm not letting you go alone Richard, that's out of question." She told him sternly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I won't be alone, Zedd and Cara will be with me, protecting me." He said.

"No." She simply replied, averting his gaze.

"Kahlan…" He started but she cut him off.

"I'm not leaving your side!" She exclaimed.

"Just hear me out." He pleaded.

"No." She replied, leaving the bed and walking to her private bathroom. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, first he was asking her to confess Tim and lie to everyone and now he was ordering her to stay in Aydindrill while he will be out risking his live to defeat the Keeper. She was both angry and confused.

Richard sighed and shook his head in defeat. But he had to talk to her and make her understand why he was asking her to stay in Aydindrill, to stay out of harm's way.

He waited until she went out of the bathroom, fully dressed in her white Confessor dress. He got up and made a few steps towards her but she walked past him to the door. He grabbed her arm and she turned rapidly to face him.

"Please Kahlan, don't leave, we need to talk about it." He pleaded as her angry look broke his heart.

"Please." He said again.

"The last time I left your side, Denna tortured you. I almost lost you to her. That's a mistake I won't do again." She said, her angry look turning into sadness.

He closed the gap between them and said: "I know how you feel and I wouldn't have brought the subject if it wasn't so important. Spirits Kahlan, I didn't even want you to come here in the first place but things have changed now."

She sighed and gave up. "I don't know what would be so important that I would leave you."

"Our baby." He simply replied with a proud smile.

"Our baby?" She repeated with a questioning look.

"Come." He said as he took her hand to lead her to the couch. She couldn't help but let her eyes wander on his perfectly build chest and back as she followed him.

Richard didn't let go of her hand as they sat and began to explain: "Now that we can be together, all I think about is making love to you."

She blushed and looked down at their intertwined fingers. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek forcing her to look at him.

"I love you Kahlan and this need to be with you, it's never going away. If you come with me on my quest and get to be with child, it will be too dangerous for the two of you." He explained.

"I'll be careful and when I'll be too heavy to fight, we'll ask Zedd to use magic to protect me." She said.

"No Kahlan, I won't be able to fight if you and our daughter are in danger, even with magic at work, I won't be certain that you're safe. And can you imagine what it would be like to be with child and sleep on hard floors, walk all day long, I'm not even talking about riding a horse, it's far too dangerous. There is also food, it won't be healthy for you or the baby to only eat fruits and cold stew." He told her.

"Then I'll come back to Aydindrill when I'll be a burden to you all." She said.

"It's not about you being a burden, what if you trip on a root and fall, even if you are just two month pregnant, you could hurt or worst lose the baby. I can't let that happen, I won't." He told her, squeezing her hand tighter.

"So what? I'm just supposed to stay here and wait? We don't know how long you'll be gone, Spirits we don't even know if you'll come back at all. How can you ask me to stay here when you are out there with Banelings and who knows what other magical creatures?" She asked as tears pooled in her eyes.

"I'll come back to you my love." He told her.

"You don't know that." She replied.

"I know it because my love for you, our love, it's stronger than anything. I'll defeat the Keeper to make sure that the world is a safe place for our daughters to grow up then I'll come back to you." He tried to reassure her as she began to sob.

"I can't lose you." She said as he wrapped his arms around her and she let her head rest on his chest.

"I can't lose you either. That's why you have to stay here where you'll be protected." He said, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I don't want to leave you Kahlan, but I want what's best for our family." He added.

She let out a long sigh and asked: "What do we do now?"

"Now, you confess Tim and we create life before I go back to my quest." He replied before placing a kiss on her head. He closed his eyes and sighed, leaving her will be the hardest thing to do.


	24. Chapter 24

Here's the new chapter! I couldn't have made it without klynnrhiannon for this end of this chapter! Hope you'll like it as much I as do! Read, enjoy and maybe review?

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"Come in." She said as a response to the knock on the door of the Mother Confessor's office.

She heard the door opened but she was too busy reading the various reports on her desk to notice who was walking in.

"Hey." Richard said walking towards her desk.

"Hey." She replied, still focused on her paperwork although she was glad it was him and not someone from the council.

"I haven't seen you all day." He told her as he sat on a chair.

"I have a lot to do." She said, gesturing at the various sheets on her desk.

"It's almost sundown." He said with a sigh.

"Really?" She asked, finally looking up at him.

He nodded at her, he knew why she had locked herself in her office and got busy with papers because she had to confess Tim and she didn't want to. It was what was best for the Midlands but not what was best for her.

"Okay then." She said as she got up and walked to the door, trying to maintain her Confessor face as best as she could.

Richard stopped her by grabbing her elbow. He pressed his body against hers and kissed her passionately, taking her by surprise.

When they pulled apart she asked breathlessly: "Are you sure it's the only way?"

"I don't know if it's the only way… but it's the only one I see now." He replied, resting his forehead against hers.

"Once I confess him, there is no turning back." She said with sadness in her voice.

"But if you don't… there is no turning back either." He told her, tenderly running his hand through her hair.

He kissed her once more and said: "You are going to confess him but I'll be the one spending the night holding you."

She nodded and took a long breath to give herself some strength.

"Let's go." She said, grabbing his hand and intertwining her fingers with his.

They walked silently in the hallways of the Confessor Palace until they reach Tim's cell. Prince Travis didn't talk when he saw them, he knew that the time of his death had come and he was resolved to die. Richard grabbed the Sword of Truth, ready to protect Kahlan or himself in case of emergency, he still didn't trust Tim who fell on his knees in front of him. After all, it would only be fair that the Seeker wanted revenge and would be getting it by cutting off the head of the man who hurt the one he loved.

"I've decided to spare your life." Kahlan stated.

Tim looked up at her and said: "No, Mother Confessor, please, don't send me back to Tractan, end my life now. I'm begging you."

"I'm not sending you anywhere, you are to stay here. You will be confessed and stay in the Palace." Kahlan explained.

"I… I don't understand…" Tim said, shaking his head.

"If I end your life, a war will start and our fight against the Keeper is already costing too many lives. But if I confess you and pretend that you are my mate to your people, they will believe that Tractan and the Midlands are united." Kahlan explained.

"As you wish, Mother Confessor. I'm glad to know that our people will live in peace." Tim replied.

Kahlan nodded and said: "Raise on your feet."

Tim stood up and she grabbed him by the throat with her right hand like she had done many times before. When she released her powers, she felt Richard grabbing her left hand. It was too late for her to stop her powers from taking Tim and maybe Richard too. She turned her face to Richard and saw his eyes becoming black. She gasped and let go of Tim who fell on his knees and said: "Command me Mistress."

Her own knees gave away but Richard caught her, letting his sword drop on the floor and wrapping an arm around her waist, she looked in his eyes, searching for proofs of his confession, fear written all over her face.

"I'm okay." Richard said with a smile on his face.

She dropped her head on his shoulder, relieved that he was still himself as exhaustion of using her powers took the best of her.

"Mistress, are you alright?" Tim asked.

"Leave us alone." She ordered, not even looking at him.

"As you wish, Mistress." The confessed man replied leaving them in the cell.

Bringing one of her hand on Richard's cheek, Kahlan asked: "Why did you do this? You scared me! My powers are not a game Richard."

"I just wanted to show you that your powers can't hurt me. I wanted you to see it so you wouldn't doubt it anymore." He replied, placing his hand over hers.

He kissed the palm of her hand and added: "Plus, I love to feel your powers running through me, it's pure bliss."

"I still can't believe it's true." She told him.

Richard shrugged and said: "You'll get used to it."

She smiled at him in return and pushed herself away from him as he picked up his sword from the floor and sheathed it. He didn't get the time to look up at her that her lips were on his. He couldn't remember the last time she had kissed him like that. She leaned her body on him, his back hitting the cell's bars. Her hands ran from his chest to his neck making him moan in delight. When she reluctantly pulled away for much needed air, he said breathlessly: "I know I could get used to you kissing me like that."

"I love you Richard even if you are the craziest man alive for testing my powers." She told him with a wide smile on her face.

"I'm crazy about you Kahlan Amnell." He told her before kissing her again.

"Come on, I have a surprise for you." He told her, taking her hand and getting out of the cell.

"Wait!" She said, tugging at his hand to stop him. He turned to face her and she smiled at him, her special smile.

"What's wrong?" He asked, smiling back at her.

She put a hand on his cheek and said: "Let me take a look at your eyes again."

He opened his eyes wide and she looked at him. She smiled even more and kissed him again.

"Are you ready to go now?" He asked, giving her one last kiss.

She nodded in reply and they left the cell to go back to Kahlan's room. As they crossed path with some maids, Kahlan noticed that they were all smiling at Richard, some of them even winking at him and she caught him smiling back.

"What's wrong with them?" She muttered under her breath, her jealousy rising.

"Is there something you'd like to share my love?" He whispered in her ear, sending shiver down her spine.

"Why are they all smiling at you like that? What's going on?" She asked him as they reached her door room.

"You're about to find out." He replied opening the door and letting her in first.

She gasped at the view of her room, it was beautiful. There were white petals of roses on the floor and red on her white bed. Candles were lighted everywhere, food was served on the small dining table.

She turned to face him as he closed the door.

"You did all this?" She asked.

"Not everything, your maids helped me, hence all the smiles." He explained.

"Do you like it?" He added, worrying that it was too much or that she didn't like it. He had never done this for her, pull out a romantic dinner with candles. During their travels for his quest, the best he could do was to find the less dirty tavern and allow her to sleep in an uncomfortable bed which didn't happen very often. He always thought that she deserved more than sleeping in the woods or eating berries.

"I... Richard it's… It's…" She struggled to find her words.

"It's too much right? I know it's silly but… I wanted to do something nice for you. I should have bought you a present instead and..." He said, regretting his actions.

"I love it Richard." She cut him in the middle of his sentence.

"Thank you." She added, kissing him on the cheek.

"Really?" He asked.

She smiled and said: "Yes, I love the candles and the roses, it's perfect. But most of all, I love you for all the hard work you've done for me."

"It's not hard work if it's for you my love." He said before kissing her.

He pulled her against him as his tongue teased her lower lip, begging her for entrance which she allowed happily. Their tongues did not battle this time, it was more intimate than that. When he couldn't hold his breath any longer, he broke the kiss but didn't lose any time and started a kissing trail from her jaw to her neck. She titled her head and moaned when he sucked at her pulse point.

"Richard…" She tried to say but he silenced her with a deep kiss as his hands started to undo the laces of her dress.

Suddenly she pulled apart and walked away from him and she said: "Richard, we can't."

She walked to the window, admiring the city. She knew she was breaking his heart but she just couldn't do it, even if she was dying to. Tears pooled in her eyes as she thought that she had just disappointed him again. She felt like a failure to him.

"You don't want to?" He asked, his voice strangled with pain.

She turn from the window to face him and said: "You know I do, more than anything. But if you were to get me with child…"

She looked in his eyes and saw his pain and it broke her heart.

"Would it be so bad Kahlan? This is what we've wanted for so long… to have a family together." He said as he shook his head and slumped down on the bed, crashing the red petals of roses in the process. The candlelight around him made him look even more desirable but the sadness in his expression made her aches even more.

He ran his hand through his hair and looked down at the floor, contemplating if he should stay or leave, if he should talk or not. It hurt him more than anything to have her deny him now that they knew that her powers couldn't hurt him.

"I want a family with you too Richard. But what if you need me in battle? What if you need my powers to get information? The Seeker won't have his Confessor by his side to protect him. I can't risk your safety." She argued, making a few step to the bed.

"And I can't risk your safety either Kahlan. If you were with child there would be no way that you could continue our quest and then I would have to leave you alone. I can't do that Kahlan. Spirits we've been through this already and I thought we agreed on what was best for everyone." He said with a long sigh.

"It's what's best for everyone but not for me!" She exclaimed before looking down ashamed of her own selfishness.

"If having a daughter with me isn't what is best for you Kahlan, if it's not enough, if it's not what you want, I can understand but I have no reason to be in this room anymore." He told her, looking straight in her eyes

She made her way to him and kneeled on the floor in front of him, taking his hands in hers and said: "I know what we said… but Richard… we don't know how long you will be gone, Spirits we don't know if you will ever come back! I want this child but I'm afraid of what's going to happen. Afraid to lose you..."


	25. Chapter 25

New chapter! This is the rated M part of the story so just skip it if you need to!

It was written by the very talented klynnrhiannon (thanks again), from Kahlan's POV. Read her stories and leave some reviews!

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He looked at me then, sorrow furrowing his brow. He moved toward the edge of the bed and reached for me. "You're not going to lose me…ever." He whispered standing and pulling me into his strong warm embrace. "I love you Kahlan Amnell, more than life itself."

I melted into him, molding my body to his as he held me, his hands weaving through my thick mass of dark curls. He gently tugged, bringing my lips to his in a slow, deep kiss. My chest clenched in sudden overload of emotion and I pressed closer gripping his face in my hands and running my tongue across his lips. He opened his mouth allowing me entrance and I moaned at the feel of his wet mouth and the way his tongue curled against mine. Never had he ever kissed me thus, with so much passion.

I felt his hands run down my back causing shivers to dance across my spine. I loosed my grip on his face and caressed down his chest to pull the edge of his shirt up over his head. We both gasped at the much needed air as he flung his shirt to the ground. His lips met the skin of my neck as his hands gripped mine, entwining our fingers. "I love you…" he said softly, his breath warm against my neck causing me to shiver.

He let go of one of my hands then and began to unlace the front of my dress gently pulling the strings out one by one. I felt it loosen and begin to slide down as Richard lowered his lips to my shoulders pushing the fabric lower down my arms. When the last lace was untied he pulled the rest down with both his hands locking his gaze with mine. The look in his eyes both scared me and excited me as he moved to the laces of my corset. His movements were graceful as a dance and I was lost in his raptor gaze frozen with my hands on his hips.

A spark of nervousness erupted in my abdomen as he began to pull my corset down my shoulders and completely off, leaving the top of me exposed to him save for my dress that still hung loosely around my hips. I closed my eyes and gasped when I felt his hands gently cradle my face. "Look at me." He said, the baritone of his voice vibrating through my body.

When I opened my eyes he lowered his gaze as his hands began to caress my shoulders and arms. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my palm, then my wrist, the other hand curling around to my back and skimming up my bare skin between my shoulder blades. I arched my back against his palm, relishing the feel of him. I wanted so badly for him to pull me against him but I stood still, allowing him to explore me in his own way.

His lips reached my collarbone and worked their way to the hollow of my throat where he pressed his tongue against me. I whimpered at the sensual touch and scraped my nails gently across his abdomen. I heard him hiss and then both of his hands moved to cup my breasts as he bit down slightly on my neck. "Richard…" I groaned, pressing myself into his hands inviting his touch. He gripped me tighter with one hand and snaked the other underneath my skirt and shorts to caress the bare skin of my rear. My hands followed his lead and I pushed my hands under the waistband of his trousers gripping his bare muscular backside that I had often admired.

Suddenly, his other hand joined in the caress of my rear and he lifted me onto the bed. He moved up the bed and pressed his lips to mine, delving deep into my mouth with his tongue and pressed his knee between my thighs. I rolled my hips against him and was surprised by the wetness that had gathered there. I caressed his back feeling the taunt tight muscles as they flexed beneath my touch and pulled him tighter against me. He groaned into my mouth and I felt his hand skimming beneath my skirts. I lifted my leg and felt my skirts fall down my thigh as his hand slid under to caress my bare skin.

I moaned at the feel of his hand on me and quickly moved my hands between us to pull of my skirts and shorts. "Let me do that." He whispered huskily as his hands skimmed beneath the waist band and pulled them down tossing them over the bed to the floor. He sat back and made quick movement of removing his sword and my hands joined his to pull free the laces from his trousers.

A tight knot of anticipation grew in my stomach as I saw him for the first time. The maiden in me was suddenly nervous but I reached out a shaky hand to grip him in my palm. "Kahlan…" He rolled my name on his tongue and his eyes suddenly darkened as I began to stroke him. He was soft and strong against my hand and I began to wonder how it would feel sheathed inside of me.

He leaned into my touch, gripping the side of my neck and kissed me again with more fervor. I continued my exploration and moved my thumb over the head feeling the wetness seep out. It thrilled me that I was the one who caused this reaction in him and moaned with him and the erotic feel of what I was doing.

He suddenly pulled my hand from him and I opened my eyes in question. "Did I do something wrong?" I wondered, shyness blushing my skin. "No my love. You are amazing but I want to wait for you. Our pleasure should be together."

He smiled and caressed the side of my face as his other hand slid my shorts off. I tensed with sudden worry, not knowing what to expect. I watched his hand move down my stomach and then caress my thighs. He moved his knee between my legs opening me to him as he slid his hand up the inside of my leg. Our eyes locked as his fingers found the throbbing place between my thighs and my head fell back in ecstasy as he began to caress me there.

His fingers played along my folds separating them as he tested my arousal. I could feel the dripping wetness as his fingers gathered it and found my throne of pleasure caressing and strumming my body closer to the edge. "Kahlan." He whispered and I opened my eyes as he slid a finger into my entrance and began to move deeper in and out caressing my inner core.

I gripped his shoulders digging my nails into the tender skin and this seemed to thrill him. His pumping caress sped up as he added another finger, and he pressed his thumb down against my bundle of nerves. I could hear myself moaning his name and I thought I would explode with pleasure but then he removed his fingers from inside of me, licking them clean and moved himself between my legs.

He lay on top of me, shielding me in his embrace and brought his hands to my face. "I love you forever, Kahlan Amnell.' He said and then he slowly eased into me before pulling back to plunge through my virginity. There was no pain as the other confessors had warned me of, just a sweet ache that soon vanished as he began to move slowly inside of me.

He pressed my knees to my chest and I moaned at the intensity of feeling him slide deeper and deeper. He buried his face against my shoulder and held the back of my neck with one hand caressing the back of my thigh with the other. I was so stunned at the pleasure that I could feel wet tears of my face. I held him protectively against me as I rocked my body with his.

"My love." I whispered as he moved and I felt his lips against my ear whisper his love for me. His hips stopped against me, pressing against my sensitive nub as he plunged deep into me. He moved his hips in a circular motion stroking the inside of me in a sensual caress. A wanton moan escaped from somewhere deep within my chest and he began to move again torturously slow, pulling out almost all the way and plunging with deep, penetrating strokes.

The sensation of him moving deep inside me was more than I could bear and I felt my powers loosen then engulfing us both. He continued to move, and brought his fingers between our bodies to caress over the spot that made me writhe with delight. A second wave of pleasure crashed into me as I felt warmth burst inside of me and I screamed his name pulling my knees up even further up so he could plunge deeper on his last stroke inside me.

Just then the hold on my powers let loose and crashed into both of us in its silent thunder. Richard clung to me as though he were drowning as he surrendered his soul to me. My powers searched for the panicked resistance but were only left with blind devotion that already existed within him. I was so stunned with the feeling of my powers being resisted something I had never experienced. I felt the thunder in my veins pound into my soul as if Richard had confessed me. I laughed with untold pleasure and joy and pulled him impossibly closer.

We were breathless when the world suddenly silent from the thunder of my powers I still clung to him, not wanting to let him go. He collapsed on top of me, sealing our pleasure and love with another kiss and I noticed then that his years matched my own.

"Dear spirits, I love you Kahlan."

"And I love you, my Richard."


	26. Chapter 26

Here's the last chapter before the epilogue! What kind of ending would you like to see? Enjoy this chap and as always any comments are welcome!

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He watched her sleep for some time, allowing her to get more sleep but also to have more time next to her. Everything was quiet in the room except for the sound of her slow and calm breathing. She was lying on her stomach, her face turned to him, resting on one of her hand. The smile on her face left no doubt of their previous activities. She was draped in a sheet that only revealed the skin of her shoulder and neck. The memory of the night they had spent together made him smile even more. He felt her stir beside him, it was the signal he was waiting for since he had first opened his eyes. The only thing he wanted to do was to taste her skin and explore her body once again. He didn't waste any time and began a trail of butterfly kisses from her arm to her shoulder. He watched her face as her smile grew bigger with every kiss.

"Good morning my love." He whispered, teasing the skin of her shoulder with his tongue. The only reply he got was a content sigh. He resumed his exploration after gently brushing the strands of hair blocking the way to her neck.

He teased, grazed and kissed slowly his way to her ear and whispered: "You can open your eyes you know."

"No." She whispered, her smile never leaving her face.

Her lips parted as he took her lobe in his mouth, desire stirring in her stomach.

"Why not?" He asked between kisses.

"Because I'm dreaming that an awesome and handsome man is kissing me right now." She said softly.

"Well, before I woke up I was dreaming that the most beautiful woman on earth was sleeping next to me. When I opened my eyes I found you by my side, so now I can say that dreams really do come true. You should try." He told her, giving one last kiss on her shoulder.

She finally opened her eyes and turned on her side to face him. He immediately captured her lips for a sweet kiss and he hooked his leg over hers.

"Dreams really do come true. Good morning handsome." She told him when they broke the kiss. She allowed her hand to caress his chest and down to his abs, enjoying the sigh of his muscles responding to her touch. Just like her, he only had a sheet to cover his naked form.

"You know those night pants I got you, I won't be mad you never wear them again, sheets look good on you." She told him, biting her lower lip.

"Sheets look good on you too." He replied, kissing her as he rolled on top of her. She welcomed him in her embrace, letting him settle between her legs.

"Although, I must deplore that sheets are covering too much of your skin." He added, slipping his hand under the material to caress her tight.

She brought a hand to his face, her expression grew serious and he instantly knew that something was on her mind. He kissed her again, pulling apart he stared and smiled at her, waiting for her to say something.

"What's wrong?" She finally asked.

"You tell me. Looks like you have something on your mind." He told her, nuzzling her cheek.

"Nope, everything's fine." She told him.

"Kahlan…" He warned softly.

"Sometimes I hate it." She stated with a sigh.

"Hate what?" He asked.

"That I can't use my confessor face on you. That you immediately know when there is something bothering me." She explained.

"You shouldn't have to use your confessor face on me, you can tell me anything." He told her.

"I know… but… It's kind of… embarrassing…" She trailed as her cheeks turned red.

"Oh really?" He asked, amused by her shyness. He kissed her neck and teased with his tongue, her hand plunged in his hair, pulling his head closer to her, encouraging him to continue his sweet torture.

"Come on, tell me." He encouraged her, whispering in her ear before going back to kissing her neck.

She took a breath, closed her eyes and said: "Was I… huh… was I…"

She cleared her throat and tried again: "Was I satisfying to you last night?"

He raised his head to look at her and instructed: "Kahlan, open your eyes."

She obliged and said: "Because if I wasn't, you have to tell me and I'll understand if you want to be with someone else."

She spoke so fast that it made him chuckle.

"Don't make fun of me." She said looking down.

"I'm not…" He said, shaking his head. "My love, last night was mind blowing. You are beautiful and passionate and I love you. Ever since I met you I dreamt about make love to you but now that we did, all I can think about is making love to you. I'm dying to share this with you again because it was better than anything I ever dreamt of." He added, looking straight in her eyes so she could see the truth of his words.

She smiled the special smile she saved for him and they kissed passionately.

When they pulled apart he asked: "Now, was it satisfying for you too?"

She bit her lower lip and nodded and he told her: "Then we both agree that we have to do this again… right now."

He pressed his body into her and kissed her as she ran her hands in his hair. It was wonderful, the feeling of him on top of her. She felt protected and safe, his strong shoulders and chest shielding her from the cold of the world. She wished she could stay in this cocoon of warmth and love until the rest of her life but she knew that he had to go and save the world of the living. As much as making love with him had been wonderful, her heart ached because he had to leave. She shook her thought away from her head, she had to be strong for him and enjoy the little time they had left together.

Their kisses became much more heated and she trusted unintentionally her hips against him, making them moan. They pulled apart just enough to breathe and once again Richard was devouring the skin of her neck.

A knock at the door interrupted them. Richard groaned, no doubt it was Cara.

"No, no, no, no." Kahlan whispered, tightening her hold on him as he was about to pull away from her.

"You know she's not going away until I open the door." He told her between kisses on her neck.

"Then I'm going to open the door and tell her what she wants to hear and she'll leave us alone." She told him before giving him a kiss and unwillingly leaving his embrace and their bed. She stepped on the petals of red roses that Richard had put all over the room and smiled at the kindness of the man she loved. When she finally reached the door, she grabbed the doorknob, ready to deal firmly and quickly with Cara.

She quickly opened it and spoke quickly, determined not to let the Mord'Sith talk before her.

"Yes, Cara, we did it." She said, without taking time to look at Cara.

Her jaw dropped when she realized that it wasn't Cara standing in front of her. She panicked and quickly closed the door. Clutching the sheet tighter around her, she pressed her back against the door and looked at Richard, her eyes opened wide in shock.

"What's wrong?" Richard immediately asked as he got out of bed to reach her.

"It's Zedd." Was all she could manage to say.

Richard laughed and said: "You actually told Zedd that we made love."

"Dear Spirits…" Kahlan whispered.

Richard kissed her forehead and opened the door slightly, hiding Kahlan and her embarrassment behind the door.

"Hi Zedd." He said with a proud smile on his face.

"Hello my boy, and I guess congratulations are in order." The tall Wizard said.

"Thank you. Is there something wrong?" He asked, wondering why his grand-father came so early.

"It's probably not the best time to share the news but, rumors say that the banelings raised an army… We should find a way to defeat the Keeper soon before he kills us all." Zedd explained.

Kahlan felt her heart constricts in her chest at the mention of the Keeper, well-knowing that it meant that Richard had to leave. She felt panic rising through her whole being and her breathing became jerky. Feeling her distress, Richard slid a hand behind the door and took her hand in his.

"I know Zedd, I know what I have to do. We talked about it and I know what must be done." He said.

"I know my boy, I just wanted to give you an update on the situation." Zedd said.

"Well, I'm going to leave you two alone." The Wizard added before giving his grandson a smile.

Richard nodded and closed the door. He immediately pulled Kahlan in his arms, burying his face in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed herself against his chest, holding onto him as hard as she could.

When he felt her tears on his skin he whispered: "It's okay my love."

Kahlan nodded but did not let go of him.

She looked up at him and said: "I love you so much."

He crushed his lips on hers as a response and they kissed passionately.

When they pulled apart, she told him: "The Mother Confessor is alright with you leaving to save her people and the Midlands from the Keeper but Kahlan Amnell, she just doesn't want to let you go because she needs you."

"Kahlan Amnell is the strongest and bravest person I know. She thinks she needs me, but she doesn't." He told her, gently caressing her arm.

"You said that I can tell you everything right?" She asked.

He nodded and kissed her forehead, encouraging her to go on.

"I'm scared of two things. The first one is you leaving before I'm with child and the second is having to give birth and raise our child without you." She told him, tears filling up her eyes once again.

"Because, I don't think I'll be able to deal with the consequences. I won't be able to lay with someone else for the Confessor's line sake and I won't be strong enough to raise our baby without you." She added.

"I can't promise you anything but I hope my quest won't last more than nine months so I can be with you when our baby comes and you don't have to worry about being with child before I leave because I'm about to rip that sheet off of you and make love to you again." He told her with a smile.

"I'd like that." She told him.

"What? Me being with you when the baby comes or me making love to you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"Both." She replied with a shy smile and blushing.

He kissed her passionately and lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, giving in more fully into their kiss. He carried her to the bed, laying her gently on her back as she kept her legs wrapped around him. He let one of his hands slid under the sheet and caressed her tight just like he had done a few moments before Zedd interrupted them. She broke their kiss and let out a soft moan as she closed her eyes, enjoying the marvelous feeling of him doing wonderful things to her body. He watched her for an instant, still massaging her tight and he told her: "You're beautiful, I love you."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Make love to me Richard." She replied, pulling him against her and kissing him passionately.


	27. Epilogue

Here's the very last and very short chapter. Thank you to everyone who read this, I had a blast writting it. Also thank you for the sweets reviews.

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She wished with all her heart that it was just a bad dream… A nightmare that she would wake up from. Yes, it was a nightmare and she was about to wake up… She waited… waited and waited but she never woke because it was not a nightmare, it was reality. He was gone.

She was sitting in her bed, in her room with nothing else than a sheet to cover herself and she was shivering from the cold. But she didn't care, she sat emotionless on her bed, trying to understand how he could be gone. They had made love again just a few hours ago. It's been an incredible few days, being together locked in her room, discovering each other bodies all over again each night... and day. When she woke up, she thought that just like every morning he would be holding her in his arms, waking her with his sweet kisses, that she would sighed contently, engulfed in the warmth of his body. Reality had stabbed her in the heart when she woke up and only found his shirt and a letter on his side of the bed. She was clenching both tightly against her chest as she stared blankly at the door of her room, imagining him coming in with breakfast. She kept on waiting, but he was gone.

His letter, she had read over and over again, memorizing every part of it. Every word made her heart ache a little more but she had to read it again.

_My love,_

_You may think that I am a coward for leaving you without saying goodbye and you are right, I am a coward. It would have been too hard to say goodbye to you, you know I hate to see you cry. I just didn't want you to have the memory of me leaving, but the memory of our night together. The last few days have been the happiest of my life and each night I prayed the Spirits that we had created life together. Zedd explained that Confessors immediately knew when they were with child. I guess my prayers were unheard. I know that you have to save your line and it breaks my heart knowing that I failed you and knowing what you will have to do in order to get with child. I just want you to know that I love you, no matter the odds, I will always love you. You must hate me right now for leaving you, for not saying goodbye and for not being able to get you with child and it's alright, you can slap me when I return to you after I've saved the world from the Keeper. Because I'll come back to you Kahlan, one day or another, I'll come back to you._

_Be safe my love,_

_Yours always and forever,_

_Richard._

She didn't even know if she was mad at him or not. If he had said goodbye she would have probably begged him to stay, crying uncontrollably and breaking his heart in the process. Now she just felt empty, like a part of her was missing, like all her strength was gone. She felt like waking up from the sweetest dream where she had spent time with the man she loved making love and enjoying each other's presence to find herself in the Underworld. What did she have left now? Cara and Zedd were probably gone too. All she had was a mate she hated, her duty and Sylvia who would help her as if she was her own daughter. Daughter. Daughter. It sounded weird in her mind. Daughter. She burst into tears as she rested her hand on her belly. She curled in a ball under her covers and cried. She held Richard's shirt tightly against her, he was gone. She would have to endure it all alone. Alone. The thought made her cry in pain. He was gone and he didn't know. He didn't know that they were going to have a daughter. She closed her eyes tightly, all she had to do now was to pray for his safety and for him to come back to her as soon as possible.

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TO BE CONTINU-END? You all can hate me now, or leave a review, it's up to you!


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